Our Observatory published a paper in the journal Science and Engineering Ethics that for its relevance we want to make known our readers
Synthetic biology bioethics perspective
In this study, the authors affirmed that Synthetic biology opens up the possibility of producing new entities not found in nature, whose classification as organisms or machines has been debated. In this paper, we are focusing on the delimitation of the moral value of synthetic products, in order to establish the ethically right way to behave towards them. In order to do so, we use personalism as our ethical framework. First, we examine how we can distinguish between organisms and machines. Next, we discuss whether the products of synthetic biology can be considered organisms at all and assess what their moral value is and how should we behave towards them. Finally, we discuss the eventual case of synthetic humans.
Some synthetic biology products are new organisms and not machines or anything intermediate, their moral value must be recognized and their interests are taken into account in order to preserve them as far as possible, safeguarding the principle of protection of the ecosystem and the environment.
Link to the paper (today it has 56 downloaded only from Springer Link) HERE
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