What feminist bioethics can bring to synthetic biology

Wendy A. Rogers, Jacqueline Dalziell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Synthetic biology (synbio) involves designing and creating new living systems to serve human ends, using techniques including molecular biology, genomics, and engineering. Existing bioethical analyses of synbio focus largely on balancing benefits against harms, the dual-use dilemma, and metaphysical questions about creating and commercializing synthetic organisms. We argue that these approaches fail to consider key feminist concerns. We ground our normative claims in two case studies, focusing on the public good, who holds and wields power, and synbio research projects’ particularity and context. Attention to feminist concerns is essential for synbio to realize its potential in ethically justifiable ways.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)46-63
Number of pages18
JournalInternational Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics
Volume16
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2023

Bibliographical note

Accepted Author Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

  • case studies
  • empirical bioethics research
  • ethics of synthetic biology
  • feminist bioethics
  • research for the public good

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  • COESB: ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology

    Paulsen, I., Filipovska, A., Parker, R., Nielsen, L. K., Neilan, B. A., Alexandrov, K., Jackson , C., Wodak, J., Rackham, O., Marcellin, E., Gillings, M., Rogers, W., Lee, L., Packer, N., O'Hara, I. M., Speight, R., Vickers, C. E., Beliaev, A., Scott, C., Lacey, J., Mankad, A., Calvert, J., Thomas, G., Rodriguez-Concepcion, M., Fleishman, S., Koepke, M., Ball, M., Turner, N. J., Borneman, A. R., Holowko, M., Goold, H., Ellis, T., Mitchell, L. A. & Dai, J.

    9/11/208/11/27

    Project: Research

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