Synthetic Biology Ethics: A Deontological Assessment

In this article I discuss the ethics of synthetic biology from a broadly deontological perspective, evaluating its morality in terms of the integrity of nature, the dignity of life and the relationship between God and his creation. Most ethical analyses to date have been largely consequentialist in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bioethics
Main Author: Heavey, Patrick (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell 2013
In: Bioethics
Further subjects:B synthetic biology and religion
B Synthetic Biology
B dignity of life
B dignity of nature
B synthetic biology ethics
B dual use biotechnology
B playing God
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Summary:In this article I discuss the ethics of synthetic biology from a broadly deontological perspective, evaluating its morality in terms of the integrity of nature, the dignity of life and the relationship between God and his creation. Most ethical analyses to date have been largely consequentialist in nature; they reveal a dual use dilemma, showing that synbio has potential for great good and great evil, possibly more so than any step humanity has taken before. A deontological analysis may help to resolve this dilemma, by evaluating whether synbio is right or wrong in itself. I also assess whether deontology alone is a sufficient methodological paradigm for the proper evaluation of synbio ethics.
ISSN:1467-8519
Contains:Enthalten in: Bioethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/bioe.12052