Lec 5 Engineering and Biotech Ethics [Compatibility Mode]

Social & Legal Issues

Ethics for EngineersEthics for Engineers

Professional Ethics


Scientific ethics that mankindScientific ethics that mankindScientific ethics that mankindScientific ethics that mankindshould all abideshould all abide

Scientists and engineers should not only have the Scientists and engineers should not only have the interest and passion for creation, but also shoulder the interest and passion for creation, but also shoulder the social responsibility. social responsibility.

In S&T innovation, we should respect life (including In S&T innovation, we should respect life (including , p ( g, p ( gthat of mankind and other life).that of mankind and other life).

InIn S&TS&T innovation, we should respect the humaninnovation, we should respect the humanIn In S&TS&T innovation, we should respect the human innovation, we should respect the human rights fairly (including that among not just the rights fairly (including that among not just the contemporaries contemporaries but also the different generations).but also the different generations).


S i tifi EthiS i tifi EthiScientific EthicsScientific Ethics

•• In S&TIn S&T innovation, we should respect dignity of innovation, we should respect dignity of human (including those of different ethnic groups, human (including those of different ethnic groups, genders, ages and with different beliefs).genders, ages and with different beliefs).

•• In S&TIn S&T innovation, we should respect nature, innovation, we should respect nature, ppprotect ecoprotect eco--systems and environment, and realize systems and environment, and realize harmonious coexistence and sustainable evolution harmonious coexistence and sustainable evolution between man and nature. between man and nature.


CC litlit b t i t i t l hil hb t i t i t l hil hCCommonalityommonality between ancient oriental philosophybetween ancient oriental philosophyand modern scientific ethicsand modern scientific ethics

2500 years ago, the Chinese philosopher 2500 years ago, the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551 BC Confucius (551 BC —— 479 BC) put 479 BC) put forward the following ethical norms:forward the following ethical norms:

仁仁—— treasure lifetreasure life仁仁

义义—— treat people equally treat people equally

礼礼—— respect each other respect each other

智智—— encourage creationencourage creation

信信—— be faithful and trustable be faithful and trustable


What is “thinking like an engineer”?What is thinking like an engineer ?

“to use one’s technical knowledge of things”• Engineers serve all members of the community inEngineers serve all members of the community in

enhancing their welfare, health and safety by a creative process utilizing the engineers knowledge expertise and experience


Institution of Engineers India - Royal Charters -1997

The Code of Ethics is based on broad principles of truth, honesty, justice trustworthiness, respect an safeguard of human life and welfare competence and accountabilityhuman life and welfare, competence and accountability which constitute the moral values every member must recognize uphold and abide by.


Why do we have codes of ethics?Why do we have codes of ethics?

• “a convention between professionals”• “a guide to what engineers may reasonably expect of one

th ”another”• “a guide to what engineers may expect other members of

the profession to help each other do”the profession to help each other do”


Why obey one’s code?Why obey one’s code?

P t t f i l f t i• Protects professionals from certain pressures– Such as cutting corners

By making it more likely that good conduct will not be– By making it more likely that good conduct will not be punished

• Protects professionals from certain consequences of competition

• Legitimizes the profession


N ti l S i t f P f i l E iNational Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Code of Ethics

Fundamental Canons

Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:shall: 1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public. 2 P f i l i f th i t2. Perform services only in areas of their competence. 3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner. 4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.


National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Code of Ethics

• 5 Avoid deceptive acts• 5. Avoid deceptive acts. • 6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically,

and lawfully so as to enhance the honor reputation andand lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession


ABET Code of Ethics of EngineersABET Code of Ethics of EngineersAccreditation Board for Engineering and

TechnologyThe Fundamental Canons

1 Engineers shall hold paramount the safety1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public in the performance of their professional duties.of their professional duties. 2. Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their competence. 3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner. 4 Engineers shall act in professional matters for4. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest. ,


ABET C d f Ethi f E iABET Code of Ethics of Engineers

5 E i h ll b ild th i f i l t ti• 5. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and shall not compete unfairly with others.

• 6. Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity, and dignity of the profession.

• 7. Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers underfor the professional development of those engineers under their supervision


Professional Codes of EthicsProfessional Codes of Ethics

• National Society of Professional Engineers• National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)

• Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)

• Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)(IEEE)

A i S i f M h i l E i• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)


It has four sections

• … Section 1: Fundamental ethical

ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

considerations

Section 2: Specific ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conductpethical considerations

Section 3: For people Section 3: For people in leadership roles

Section 4: Principles Section 4: Principles involving compliance with the code


ACM (ACM:(Association of Computing Machinery)Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

• Contribute to society and human well being (1.1)Contribute to society and human well being (1.1)– Obligation to protect fundamental human rights and to

respect the diversity of all cultures.– Minimize negative consequences of computing systems– Must attempt to ensure that the products of their efforts will

b d i i ll iblbe used in socially responsible ways– avoid harmful effects to health and welfare.

avoid potential damage to the local or global environment– avoid potential damage to the local or global environment


• . Avoid harm to others (1.2).

– Harm means injury or negative consequences– Example: loss of information, property,

property/environmental damage, etc. Strive to include features which discourage abuse in the investment worldwhich discourage abuse in the investment world.

– Design systems so that time & effort is not wasted on overhead items such as the time it takes to purge viruses.p g

– Sometimes well intended actions may lead to harmful results.


• Be honest and trustworthy (1.3)

– Do not make deceptive or false claims about the systemF ll di l li it ti d bl ith th t !– Full discloser limitation and problems with the system!

– Sometimes following this one could get you not promoted or even fired but you must be able to live with yourselfor even fired … but you must be able to live with yourself.


Ethics in BiotechnologyEthics in Biotechnology


Why Ethics in Biotechnology• New technologyNew technology• Plurality of moral convictions• Divergent economic, political, and social objectives• Growing sensitivity of the public• Doubts of the public about internal control mechanism of

scientific institutions and the scientific community toscientific institutions and the scientific community to adequately consider moral implications of research and its consequences

• Complexity of ethical issues involved• Complexity of ethical issues involved

Social & Legal IssuesBioethics

Bioethics: A discipline dealing with the ethical implications of biological researchethical implications of biological research and applications


What is a principleWhat is a principle--based approach to bioethics? based approach to bioethics?

Respect for person• Respect for person• Beneficence

J ti• Justice • Confidentiality


T ki d f thi l t GMOT ki d f thi l t GMOTwo kinds of ethical arguments GMOsTwo kinds of ethical arguments GMOs

1. Non-scientific base

GMOs are wrong, no matter how great the benefits bmay be.

2 S i tifi b2. Scientific base

G O b k h b fGMOs are wrong because risks outweigh benefits.


GMOs: Ethical ConsiderationsGMOs: Ethical Considerations

The issue is whether GMOs/GM foods morally/ethically

acceptable. p

• If they are ethically acceptable, then there is nothingIf they are ethically acceptable, then there is nothing

wrong about producing/using/consuming them.

• If they are not acceptable, people should stop producing

themthem.


GMO Ethi l C id ti

Why the deeper ethical-philosophical reasons underlying the

GMOs: Ethical Considerations

Why the deeper ethical philosophical reasons underlying the

GMO debates are so important.

• If we are to resolve ethical (as opposed to scientific)

controversies associated with GMOs/GM foods, a key

step is to acknowledge differences in basic values, andstep is to acknowledge differences in basic values, and

then debate the matter in terms of these deeper

commitments and concerns.


Components of AcceptabilityComponents of Acceptability

Judgments about ethical acceptability depend on

answering several preliminary questions:

1. What GMOs are we talking about?” What Product?

“Different products have different ethical

dimensions”dimensions

BT cornGolden Rice


C t f A t bilitComponents of Acceptability (cont’d)

2. Bear on ethical acceptability is the context in

which the analysis or argument is set.which the analysis or argument is set.

• need to be paid to all of relevant context in which a

judgment about the ethical acceptability of GMOs canjudgment about the ethical acceptability of GMOs can

(or should) be made.


FurtherFurther developmentdevelopment ofof lifelife sciencessciencesandand biotechnologybiotechnology willwill bringbring aboutaboutnewnew revolutionaryrevolutionary changeschanges totoagricultureagriculture andand healthcarehealthcare..Meanwhile,Meanwhile, thethe advancementadvancement andand

t it i li tili ti ff i d t i li d t i lextensiveextensive applicationapplication ofof industrialindustrialandand ecoeco--environmentalenvironmentalbiotechnologybiotechnology willwill leadlead toto thethe adventadventbiotechnologybiotechnology willwill leadlead toto thethe adventadventofof BioBio--economyeconomy eraera ..


HH thi lthi l blbl hh i di id li di id l liflif ddHowever,However, ethicalethical problemsproblems suchsuch asas individualindividual lifelife codecodedisclosure,disclosure, difficultydifficulty inin definitiondefinition ofof individualindividual’’ss socialsocial

tt ib titt ib ti tt illill ll ii OthOth blbl i l di l dattribution,attribution, etcetc willwill alsoalso riserise.. OtherOther problemsproblems includeincludefactitiousfactitious impactimpact onon ecologicalecological balancebalance andand safety,safety, newnewthreatthreat toto humanhuman geneticgenetic andand developmentdevelopment healthhealth etcetcthreatthreat toto humanhuman geneticgenetic andand developmentdevelopment health,health, etcetc..


Pest Resistance: Bt Corn


Herbicide Tolerance

“Roundup Ready”


Enhanced Nutrition

G ld iGolden rice


Commercial Value

• Fast-growing salmon


Ethical Arguments About BiotechnologyEthical Arguments About Biotechnology

• Intrinsic: Biotechnology is good/bad in itself

• Extrinsic: Biotechnology is good/bad because of:its consequences– its consequences

– the motivations behind: • advocacy of biotech or• advocacy of biotech or• opposition to biotech


Intrinsic Arguments Against BiotechnologyIntrinsic Arguments Against Biotechnology

• Premise: Genetic engineering is unnatural.• Conclusion: Therefore, genetic engineering is intrinsically

wrong.– Is this a good argument?


Intrinsic Arguments Against BiotechnologyIntrinsic Arguments Against Biotechnology

• Genetic engineering requires that we take a d i i i f lif h lreductionist view of life that sees only genes, not

individuals, as important.“From the red ctionist perspecti e life is merel– “From the reductionist perspective, life is merely the aggregate representation of the chemicals that give rise to it and therefore they see no ethicalgive rise to it and therefore they see no ethical problem whatsoever in transferring…even a hundred genes from one species into the heredity blueprint of another species.”

• Jeremy Rifkin


Extrinsic Arguments About BiotechnologyExtrinsic Arguments About Biotechnology

• Biotechnology is good/bad because of its gy gconsequences.

• Three ways to evaluate consequences:Three ways to evaluate consequences:• Do no harm (avoid bad consequences).• Maximize good consequences and minimize bad ones for a e good co seque ces a d e bad o es o

all affected.• Justice: Fair distribution of good and bad consequences

among all affected.


Extrinsic Arguments About Biotechnologyg gy

• Biotechnology is good/bad because of the motivations of its proponents/opponents.proponents/opponents.


Extrinsic Arguments: Motivationsg

• Friends of the Earth: “Golden rice may never help poor farmers, but it could give the beleaguered European , g g pbiotech industry a new grasp on life.”

• Florence Wambugu: “These critics [of biotech], who have never experienced hunger and death on the scale we sadly witness in Africa are content to keep Africans dependentwitness in Africa, are content to keep Africans dependent on food aid from industrialized nations while mass starvation occurs.”


Extrinsic Arguments About BiotechnologyExtrinsic Arguments About Biotechnology

• Environmental consequences• Human health consequences• Who benefits?• Who decides?


Ethics of Virtue/Tradition and Food/AgriculturalEthics of Virtue/Tradition and Food/Agricultural Biotech

Agrarianism:Agrarianism:

• - views agriculture as more than a business or economic sector in society: agriculture is a “way of life”“way of life”in society: agriculture is a “way of life” “way of life”

• - sees the traditional family farm as a place where real real human valueshuman values and virtues can be practiced.p

• - GMOs are designed, intended, for business-like efficient production; are not designed to enhance the quality of life for f f ili h i i i f l f kfarm families or their communities; favor larger farms, make traditional agriculture less competitive; may make foodstuffs cheaper, forcing traditional farmers out of business. c e pe , o c g d o e s ou o bus ess.


Ethics of Virtue/Tradition and Food/Agricultural gBiotech

Nature-ism:• “playing God”playing God • ecosystem -- upsetting of the operation of ecosystems. Not

to cause irreparable damage. p g• for Nature-ists, once we recognize the delicate balancing

processes that constitute ecosystems or Nature, we must see that human beings have no right to manipulate species or processes in this way.


The Precautionary Principley p

“When an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even ifhuman health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.”

• Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary• Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle, Jan. 1998

“Lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.”

• Rio Declaration 1992


Ethics and Agricultural Biotechnology1. Consequentiality Perception on Agricultural q y p g

Biotech

• subscribe to the view that actions, policies, practices

and technologies o ght to p omote people’s needs andand technologies ought to promote people’s needs and

preferences.

• the question is whether agriculture does this, and the

answer is usually that it doesanswer is usually that it does.


Ethics and Agricultural Biotechnologyg gy

2. Autonomy/Consent and Food/Agricultural Biotech

• begins with the axiom that self determination implies that• begins with the axiom that self-determination implies that

people have inviolable rights, which establishes the ethical

demand that people be given a choice concerning how they

want to act and be treatedwant to act and be treated.

• people have the ethical right to choose what they

consume/purchase and to avoid or reject it if they so

d idesire.


Ethi d A i lt l Bi t h lEthics and Agricultural Biotechnology3. Ethics of Virtue/Tradition and3. Ethics of Virtue/Tradition and

Food/Agricultural Biotech

• virtue/tradition ethics defines ethical acceptability in terms

of consistency with some deeply held values and virtuesof consistency with some deeply-held values and virtues,

whether they relate to farming as a way of life, to life in

accord with Nature, or to following God’s plan and will.

N t ll i t /t diti thi l ti ill il• Not all virtue/tradition ethical perspectives will necessarily

reject GMOs or biotechnology overall.


The Consequentiality Perspective on AgriculturalThe Consequentiality Perspective on Agricultural Biotech

C i li b ib h i h i li i• Consequentialists subscribe to the view that actions, policies, practices and technologies ought to promote people’s needs and preferences. p

•• CConsequentialist goals: onsequentialist goals: (QQP)(QQP)• (1) QuantityQuantity: Produce enough food to feed a growing • and non-rural population. • (2) Quality:Quality: Produce food that is safe and nutritionally

adequate.( ) Price:Price: E th t f d i ll ff d bl f• (3) Price:Price: Ensure that food is generally affordable for consumers while also ensuring that farmers receive profits from their work sufficient to keep them in business.p


The Consequentiality Perspective on AgriculturalThe Consequentiality Perspective on Agricultural Biotech

In consquentialist terms• In consquentialist terms.

• “greatest good for the greatest number”

• Concerns that some things that people want other than QQP. • GMOs may endanger these “other goods.” For example,

i l ienvironmental protections, etc.

• Issues for long-term consequences of GMOs:

– - Will our children’s health be placed at risk by the use of GM technology?

– - What about future people’s wants and preferences? Are– they being placed at risk?


Autonomy/Consent and Food/Agricultural Biotech

Th t / t di b i ith th i th t lf• The autonomy/consent paradigm begins with the axiom that self-determination implies that people have inviolable rights.

• Autonomy/consent ethicists and Consequentialists concern about:about:

• Is our food safe?

• Transparency of the food system. • - farm production techniquesp q• - transportation and processing systems• - packaging and marketing activitiesp g g g


A t /C t d F d/A i lt l Bi t hAutonomy/Consent and Food/Agricultural Biotech

P l h i h h i h ill• People have a right to purchase items that will not unknowingly place them at risk and thus may demand the choice to avoid these products. The strongest supporters of p g ppsome form of labeling of GM foods.

• Many people believe that the autonomy/consent issues that are raised are not so much a matter of biotechnology as a matter of power and control: consumers and farmers want greaterpower and control: consumers and farmers want greater control over the choices available to them in their respective arenas.

• Farmers’ choices.


Autonomy/Consent and Food/Agricultural BiotechAutonomy/Consent and Food/Agricultural Biotech

• People have the ethical right to: • - choose what they are consuming • - avoid or reject it if they so desire


R l ti (Ri k M t)Regulation (Risk Management)

demand scientific and political

vigilance

t l t i htsupport: regulatory oversight on

case-by-case basis

Do not support: a ban on all GMOs

GMor GM crops


CommunicationCommunication

increase public understanding of the science as pub u d s a d g o s

behind GMOs debate

develop tools for public communication and

promoting the public understanding of this andpromoting the public understanding of this and

related issues

not just one-way communication but should

encourage dialogue between all participants


C i tiCommunication (cont’d)

two way flow of understandingtwo-way flow of understanding

between scientists and the

public is also required

make sure all stakeholder voice

are heard


Key Challenges of Agricultural BiotechnologyKey Challenges of Agricultural Biotechnology

• Can we capture the potential benefits of agricultural biotechnology in a fair and equitable way for today’s and future generations?

• Can we balance the interests of human society and the i i bi h l ?environment using biotechnology?

• Can biotechnology contribute to sustainable agricultural t ?systems?

• How should we frame the biotechnology issue?

Lec 5 Engineering and Biotech Ethics [Compatibility Mode]

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