Team:UCSC/Bioethics/Socio

From 2014.igem.org

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<myh5><b>The Socio-Political Implications of Energy Independence</myh5>
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<myh5><b>Justifying Conservation Efforts</myh5>
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<p>Article by Breeann MacDonald</b></p>
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<p>Article by Manuel Avalos</b></p>
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<myh5>Key Problems</myh5>
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<myh5>Intrinsic vs. Instrumental Value:</myh5>
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<p>Developing energy production technology that is not reliant on oil will inevitably have effects on the world’s economy and political structure. The U.S. has a responsibility to evaluate the potential collateral damage, economic and political, that will result from establishing energy independence through butanol production. In order to conduct this research ethically, we have investigated the potential ramifications of the success of this project on other countries, specifically Saudi Arabia.</p>
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The UCSC iGem project presents an optimistic solution to tackle the current issue of rising carbon emissions. This piece will argue from an ethical standpoint why this research holds moral worth to both the environment in which we live in, and as practical guide for furthering the development of an energy independent society. Before considering environmental ethics, it is essential that we first make a distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value. Intrinsic value places an emphasis on valuing an action or thing for its own sake, such as happiness (Zimmerman, 1). However, instrumental value would describe placing value on an action or thing simply from what we are able to gain from it, such as money. In both contexts we define “value” as that which we have deemed to have importance and worth.  
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</p>
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<myh5>Case Study </myh5>
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<myh5>Environmental Worth:</myh5>
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<p>To analyze the possible effects of the U.S. becoming energy independent, we performed a case study on one of the largest exporters of oil, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s income is heavily reliant on its oil exports; crude petroleum alone makes up 76% of Saudi Arabian exports and half of its GDP. The U.S. is one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest customers, importing 1.7 mbd of its total 10 mbd of oil needed from Saudi Arabia (Morse, 21). </p>
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Should our environment as a whole gain moral worth?  By environment, we seek to evoke a biophysical definition including both ecosystems and organisms within it as a whole. Some may argue that many species and ecosystems have only instrumental value. For example, do we place value on livestock such as cattle as strictly being a means for nourishment? In an article concerning the intrinsic value of an ecosystem, Ronald Sandler examines the difficulty in evaluating worth on any particular ecosystem or species in order to justify conservation efforts. If it is the case that we should only place instrumental value on a ecosystem or species, Sandler states that it is also the case that what we gained from that ecosystem may by interchangeable with something else in order to achieve the same ends. However, he argues that many of these ends are irreplaceable and as such they can be granted intrinsic value (Sandler 2012). For example, consider destruction of a species due to the loss of habitat from climate change. Another cannot replace the beauty and role that this particular species played and as such we truly have lost a vital part of something we hold important. Given the current rising carbon emissions, we believe it is imperative to grant the environment as a whole intrinsic value. This stems from the belief that we operate within a complex network that cannot be substituted if lost. Moreover, we believe it is not the case that the environment merely provides instrumental value.  
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</p>
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<myh5>What Butanol Can Offer: </myh5>
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<myh5>Case Analysis</myh5>
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<p>The USA's consumption of Saudi Arabian oil equates to 50.7 billion dollars in oil profits, meaning that the Saudi Arabian economy would suffer dramatically if the U.S. were to become energy independent (United States Trade). Saudi Arabia would have to rely on their petrochemical factories to make up for the deficit in their income, or find another import to sustain the budget. Additionally, the Saudi Arabian economy would not be the only country to suffer. Because Saudi Arabia’s budget relies on its oil exports, it may raise oil prices significantly if the U.S. were to stop investing in its oil industrusty. This would have disastrous consequences for other countries still reliant on oil for energy. The struggle for energy dominance may be increased if oil consumption lowers, which could result in economic sanctions or military conflict from a number of countries. The U.S. should be prepared for an international conflict if one should arise.</p>
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First, we begin by labeling the use of fossil fuels as having only provisional instrumental value. It is given its worth from the energy it provides us in order to maintain a specific way of life. However, notice that we have also placed the term “provisional” to account for the current status of fossil fuels. There is a finite amount of this energy source, thus the value we place on it will fluctuate in accordance with how much remains. Furthermore, the end that we seek from its use, energy, is interchangeable with various other sources.
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The production of Butanol from H. volcanii is a prime candidate for substituting this source because it provides a means of preserving the intrinsic value of our environment. By shortening the carbon cycle, we have gained an opportunity to prevent further damage to our surroundings and establishing a method of creating our own energy source. This in turn, will establish a society that not only respects the importance of its surroundings but has also chosen to live in harmony with it.  
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<myh5>Potential Solutions for the Future</myh5>
 
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<p>The oil industry seems to be the lynchpin in the U.S.’s international diplomacy. The profit of the oil trade has been one of the central motives in the U.S.’s cooperation with Saudi Arabia, as well as many other countries, such as Russia. The disintegration of this motive would require a reformation of the U.S.’s foreign policy. The tension between oil-producing countries will grow pronounced if the United States, the biggest international consumer of oil, no longer purchases oil. One advantage to energy independence is that it could be used to diffuse international conflicts concerning oil dominance. If the U.S. were to extend butanol energy technology to oil-dependent countries, this could help sustain their economies and minimize the competition for energy dominance. The difficulty in this strategy is which countries to give the technology to and which countries to sell the butanol to. There is no easy answer to this question, but it should be on the forefront of our nation’s agenda should this technology become prominent. </p>
 
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<myh5>Potential Solutions for the Present</myh5>
 
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<p>It will take time for butanol to become a dominant source of energy, but this could be beneficial in several ways. The gradual integration of butanol as an energy source will allow time for technology to be developed that accommodates this new fuel source, which will create new jobs, and oil-dependent nations will have a transition period for their economies, which could help avoid international conflicts. While the development of butanol technology is in process, the U.S. government will have the opportunity to devise a strategy for international affairs. Our case study has identified some issues that should be considered during this deliberation process. </p>
 
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<myh5>References</myh5>
 
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11072462/EU-sanctions-to-target-Russian-oil-industry-and-strip-Russia-of-World-Cup.html
 
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http://www.ustr.gov/countries-regions/europe-middle-east/middle-east/north-africa/saudi-arabia
 
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http://atlas.media.mit.edu/profile/country/sau/
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<myh5>Sources: </myh5>
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Sandler, R. (2012) Intrinsic Value, Ecology, and Conservation. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):4
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Zimmerman, Michael J., "Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Value", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.),  <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2010/entries/value-intrinsic-extrinsic/>.
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</p>

Latest revision as of 03:25, 18 October 2014

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Justifying Conservation Efforts

Article by Manuel Avalos

Intrinsic vs. Instrumental Value:

The UCSC iGem project presents an optimistic solution to tackle the current issue of rising carbon emissions. This piece will argue from an ethical standpoint why this research holds moral worth to both the environment in which we live in, and as practical guide for furthering the development of an energy independent society. Before considering environmental ethics, it is essential that we first make a distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value. Intrinsic value places an emphasis on valuing an action or thing for its own sake, such as happiness (Zimmerman, 1). However, instrumental value would describe placing value on an action or thing simply from what we are able to gain from it, such as money. In both contexts we define “value” as that which we have deemed to have importance and worth.

Environmental Worth:

Should our environment as a whole gain moral worth? By environment, we seek to evoke a biophysical definition including both ecosystems and organisms within it as a whole. Some may argue that many species and ecosystems have only instrumental value. For example, do we place value on livestock such as cattle as strictly being a means for nourishment? In an article concerning the intrinsic value of an ecosystem, Ronald Sandler examines the difficulty in evaluating worth on any particular ecosystem or species in order to justify conservation efforts. If it is the case that we should only place instrumental value on a ecosystem or species, Sandler states that it is also the case that what we gained from that ecosystem may by interchangeable with something else in order to achieve the same ends. However, he argues that many of these ends are irreplaceable and as such they can be granted intrinsic value (Sandler 2012). For example, consider destruction of a species due to the loss of habitat from climate change. Another cannot replace the beauty and role that this particular species played and as such we truly have lost a vital part of something we hold important. Given the current rising carbon emissions, we believe it is imperative to grant the environment as a whole intrinsic value. This stems from the belief that we operate within a complex network that cannot be substituted if lost. Moreover, we believe it is not the case that the environment merely provides instrumental value.

What Butanol Can Offer:

First, we begin by labeling the use of fossil fuels as having only provisional instrumental value. It is given its worth from the energy it provides us in order to maintain a specific way of life. However, notice that we have also placed the term “provisional” to account for the current status of fossil fuels. There is a finite amount of this energy source, thus the value we place on it will fluctuate in accordance with how much remains. Furthermore, the end that we seek from its use, energy, is interchangeable with various other sources. The production of Butanol from H. volcanii is a prime candidate for substituting this source because it provides a means of preserving the intrinsic value of our environment. By shortening the carbon cycle, we have gained an opportunity to prevent further damage to our surroundings and establishing a method of creating our own energy source. This in turn, will establish a society that not only respects the importance of its surroundings but has also chosen to live in harmony with it. Sources:

Sandler, R. (2012) Intrinsic Value, Ecology, and Conservation. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):4 Zimmerman, Michael J., "Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Value", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), .

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