Ethics and Philosophy of SynBio

== Synthetic biology <--> philosophical questions ==

Synthetic biology research is based on a whole suite of underlying philosophical assumptions—that the world is organized in a certain way –that is- that living organisms have an organization that is modular is one that is central to the functionality of small systems synthetic biology. The premise of biological modularity is an ontological claim.It is a premise about how the world is structured or organized. But it is a philosophical premise that can be tested in practice. In addition to ontological questions there are also epistemological questions (questions about the nature of knowledge--how do we acquire knowledge) and ethical questions (how should we act/behave):

Epistemological questions What can synthetic biology tell us about how biological systems work or how they function?

Ontological questions What kinds of things are synthetically produced pathways, parts, modules, or whole organisms?

Ethical questions How should we act? What research should we pursue? How do we treat/behave towards the products of synthetic biology research?

Normative Ethical questions can be understood to come in three general varieties. Here's the simple taxonomy of ethical approaches:

Deontological approaches: duties or rules Consequentialist approaches: consequences of actions Virtue ethics approaches: moral character

For further elaborations see the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy under "ethics" or James Rachels "Elements of Moral Reasoning"

Ethics and Philosophy of SynBio-- 4 case studies:

The 2013 GCAT SynBio Workshop Participants focused on 4 case studies:

Landmine detection

Synthetic artemisinin

Arsenic biosensor

Bacterial oscillator

In each, they identified philosophical and ethical issues, concerns, and impacts of this new synbio research and technology:

Landmine detection

Synthetic artemisinin

Arsenic biosensor

Bacterial oscillator