Ethics

Living or non-living, Natural or artificial

A compléter : il faut soulever les questions d'éthiques que l'on s'est posées, ce qui nous a amené à s'interroger sur les liens entre biologie synth. et bioart + frontière du vivant. On va se servir du texte pour le juging form. On a utilisé plusieurs support pour répondre à ces questions : essais -réflexion interne de l'équipe-, tables rondes, questionnaires au grand publique + équipe iGEM, curiositas (hypertexte vers la page qui va bien), interviews (scientifiques et philosophes) -réflexions externes à l'équipe- En voulant aborder ces questions (peut-on faire tout ce qu'on veut avec le vivant ?) finalement on se rend compte que bs et art sont très imbriqués et que l'art et le bs permettent en tout cas ensemble de soulever toutes ces questions.

Introduction

Synthetic Biology in itself is a great source of philosophical and ethical issues. We were concerned about the right to act in nature and especially to modify it. But we discovered that synthetic biology was not created fifteen or ten years ago, it is a very old concept. Indeed, in the last century, our ancestors used crosses between species in order to improve the quality of the food, to increase the yield or also to “create” organisms more resistant to diseases. Thus, the modification of living-being is not a current subject. However, with the technical support in laboratory, synthetic biology can now go further, upsetting already established codes. (pas terminé)

Our project reflects all questions we are interesting in. We mimic, imitate the shape, odour, colours of a “natural lemon” with genetically modified bacteria. By comparing the exterior view of our lemon and a “natural” lemon, nothing can distinguish the two. However, can they be consider equal? This aspect reveals the confused limits between natural and artificial, living-being or non-living being. Moreover, after further reflexion, we can also emit the hypothesis that the “interior” of the lemon is the same: same taste, same nutritional quality. However, will you estimate it to be identical? Would you be ready to eat artificial food created and printed by a 3D printer? But is it really artificial? Finally, the use of bioart allow us to raise some questions about the concept of art, the link between art and science and to underline question as the right to use living organism and to modify it for an artistical purpose.

We answered to these question through essay, survey, discussion or also interviews. We tried to ask as many person as we can, coming from very diverse areas (ethics, scientists, sociologists, artists and designers), and different ages. The philosophical and historical traits was analysed in an essay and tried to made an overview of the answers for years and concepts. We pursued and improve the analysis of the living-being definition developing scientific, sociologic and cultural aspects. One survey was made in an international polupation of iGEMers in order to collect a maximum of point-of-view and generalised what is thinking about this subject in the iGEM community. A debate with French iGEMers was also performed in order to share a deeper reflexion. Finally, we had a reflexion of what the future food could be.

Countdown

This page is under Pierre's responsibility

• Deadline: 08/oct.
  • Introduction text
  • Report to Fabio the name of the new submenu for Pierre's essai
• Deadline: 12/oct
  • Final review by Claire/Sylvie.

Submenu

• [Overview] (cette page) (Pierre)
• [About Life, Art and Science] Essais (Pierre - rev. Claire/Sylvie)
• Tables rondes (Mélanie/Floriane - rev. Alice/Solenne)
• [Interviews] (Maher + Marie ? - rev. Jean-Luc)
• [Survey] Sondage (Raphaël + Eugène - rev. Sylvie)