Synthetic Biology and Religion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/eph.v23i2.27730Keywords:
synthetic biology and religion, playing God, creating lifeAbstract
Through the relatively new science and technology known as synthetic biology, scientists are attempting to create useful new life forms. Any attempt to “create life” inevitably prompts some to ask whether man is trespassing into areas properly reserved for a divine creator. The potential creative power of synthetic biology raises this concern to a level that has not been known before. Thus a new chapter in the history of the relationship between science and religion is being written. This article presents some of the scholarly perspectives on that chapter.
References
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Dragojlovic, Nicolas and Edna Einsiedel. 2012. “Playing God or Just Unnatural? Religious Beliefs and Approval of Synthetic Biology.” Public Understanding of Science 22(7): 869–885. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963662512445011
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Link, Hans-Jürgen. 2013. “Playing God and the Intrinsic Value of Life: Moral Problems for Synthetic Biology?” Science and Engineering Ethics 19: 435–448. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11948-012-9353-z
van den Belt, Henk. 2009. “Playing God in Frankenstein’s Footsteps: Synthetic Biology and the Meaning of Life.” NanoEthics 3: 257–268. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11569-009-0079-6
Wheeler, Sondra E. 2010a. “Contributions of Christian Thought to Assessments of Synthetic Biology: Testimony for the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.” http://bioethics.gov/node/174
———. 2010b. “Question and answer period in testimony for the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, Meeting 2 Session 4.” http://bioethics.gov/node/174.
Wolpe, Paul Root. 2010. “Transcript of testimony before the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, Meeting 1 Session 6.” http://bioethics.gov/node/169
Cho, Mildred K., David Magnus, Arthur L. Caplan, Daniel McGee, and the Ethics of Genomics Group. 1999. “Ethical Considerations in Synthesizing a Minimal Genome.” Science 286: 2087–2090. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.286.5447.2087
Dabrock, Peter. 2009. “Playing God? Synthetic Biology as a Theological and Ethical Challenge.” Systems and Synthetic Biology 3: 47–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11693-009-9028-5
Dragojlovic, Nicolas and Edna Einsiedel. 2012. “Playing God or Just Unnatural? Religious Beliefs and Approval of Synthetic Biology.” Public Understanding of Science 22(7): 869–885. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963662512445011
Drees, Willem B. 2002. “‘Playing God? Yes!’ Religion in the Light of Technology.” Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 37: 643–654. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9744.00442
Heavey, Patrick. 2013a. “The Place of God in Synthetic Biology: How Will the Catholic Church Respond?” Bioethics 27(1): 36–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8519.2011.01887.x
———. 2013b. “Synthetic Biology Ethics: A Deontological Assessment.” Bioethics 27(8): 442–452. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bioe.12052
Kaebnick, Gregory. 2010. Transcript of testimony before the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, Meeting 1 Session 4. http://bioethics. http://bioethics.gov/node/167
Lauritzen, Paul. 2011. “Humming With Mystery: Synthetic Biology & Playing God.” Commonweal 138.7 (April 8, 2011):13.
Link, Hans-Jürgen. 2013. “Playing God and the Intrinsic Value of Life: Moral Problems for Synthetic Biology?” Science and Engineering Ethics 19: 435–448. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11948-012-9353-z
van den Belt, Henk. 2009. “Playing God in Frankenstein’s Footsteps: Synthetic Biology and the Meaning of Life.” NanoEthics 3: 257–268. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11569-009-0079-6
Wheeler, Sondra E. 2010a. “Contributions of Christian Thought to Assessments of Synthetic Biology: Testimony for the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.” http://bioethics.gov/node/174
———. 2010b. “Question and answer period in testimony for the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, Meeting 2 Session 4.” http://bioethics.gov/node/174.
Wolpe, Paul Root. 2010. “Transcript of testimony before the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, Meeting 1 Session 6.” http://bioethics.gov/node/169
Published
2016-02-18
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Daley, W. (2016). Synthetic Biology and Religion. Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, 23(2), 159-174. https://doi.org/10.1558/eph.v23i2.27730
