Ethics in synthetic biology : exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology

Modern science has been the ‘spirit’ of Western Civilization, breaking the boundaries of cultural values and dominating the entire globe. From its genetic technologies and biomedical applications, emergent projects are now focusing on synthetic biology (SB). SB, the result of genetic engineering, is...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Siti Aisyah Jamil
Other Authors: Mu Yuguang
Format: Final Year Project (FYP)
Language:English
Published: 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60309
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author Siti Aisyah Jamil
author2 Mu Yuguang
author_facet Mu Yuguang
Siti Aisyah Jamil
author_sort Siti Aisyah Jamil
collection NTU
description Modern science has been the ‘spirit’ of Western Civilization, breaking the boundaries of cultural values and dominating the entire globe. From its genetic technologies and biomedical applications, emergent projects are now focusing on synthetic biology (SB). SB, the result of genetic engineering, is the combination of science and engineering, still in its infancy stage of development and has attracted many institutions and research labs. SB aims to re-design biological materials and develop minimal cells to serve as chassis. Three SB approaches are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based device production, genome-driven cell manufacture and proto-cell creation. Often claimed to offer potential benefits to humankind and the environment, the ethical concerns of SB are seldom studied, let alone being addressed. The ethical concerns can be categorized into two aspects: physical harms, which include biosafety and biosecurity issues; and non-physical desecration, which include misconceptions of human beings and nature, possible in affecting well-being of oneself and his community. As humans share the same nature, what is considered good and bad is universal. When nature is viewed to be self-subsistent, its study is void of real purpose. Thus, when one understands the humanness factor and what is nature will he observe ethics, leading to happiness.
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spelling ntu-10356/603092023-02-28T18:01:39Z Ethics in synthetic biology : exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology Siti Aisyah Jamil Mu Yuguang School of Biological Sciences DRNTU::Science::General::Moral and ethical aspects Modern science has been the ‘spirit’ of Western Civilization, breaking the boundaries of cultural values and dominating the entire globe. From its genetic technologies and biomedical applications, emergent projects are now focusing on synthetic biology (SB). SB, the result of genetic engineering, is the combination of science and engineering, still in its infancy stage of development and has attracted many institutions and research labs. SB aims to re-design biological materials and develop minimal cells to serve as chassis. Three SB approaches are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based device production, genome-driven cell manufacture and proto-cell creation. Often claimed to offer potential benefits to humankind and the environment, the ethical concerns of SB are seldom studied, let alone being addressed. The ethical concerns can be categorized into two aspects: physical harms, which include biosafety and biosecurity issues; and non-physical desecration, which include misconceptions of human beings and nature, possible in affecting well-being of oneself and his community. As humans share the same nature, what is considered good and bad is universal. When nature is viewed to be self-subsistent, its study is void of real purpose. Thus, when one understands the humanness factor and what is nature will he observe ethics, leading to happiness. Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences 2014-05-26T07:11:19Z 2014-05-26T07:11:19Z 2014 2014 Final Year Project (FYP) http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60309 en Nanyang Technological University 30 p. application/pdf
spellingShingle DRNTU::Science::General::Moral and ethical aspects
Siti Aisyah Jamil
Ethics in synthetic biology : exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology
title Ethics in synthetic biology : exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology
title_full Ethics in synthetic biology : exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology
title_fullStr Ethics in synthetic biology : exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology
title_full_unstemmed Ethics in synthetic biology : exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology
title_short Ethics in synthetic biology : exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology
title_sort ethics in synthetic biology exacerbated misconceptions of the nature of man and cosmology
topic DRNTU::Science::General::Moral and ethical aspects
url http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60309
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