Biotechnology and Bioethics

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Biotechnology and Bioethics
Biotechnology and SocietyBIS 411 Monday and
Wednesday 330-535UW1-020
Class Number 9 February 1, 2006 Fukuyama
Chapters 1 2
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Why this course?
Intersection of biology, society and politics
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Francis Fukuyamas Books

• The End of History and the Last Man (1993)
• Trust The Social Virtues and the Creation of
  Prosperity (1996)
• Our Posthuman Future (2002)

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The End of History??

• Fukuyama published The End of History? in 1989
• Arguing what?
• Hegel had been right history ended in 1806
• Nothing much after that?
• No political progress after French Revolution
  Napoleon's victory in the Battle of Jena
• Communism collapse in 1989 signaled what?
• Convergence toward liberal democracy that
  invisible hand

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No End of History.

• No end of science
• No end of advances in technology
• Civilizations key vulnerabilities
• Science and technology
• Good uses to destructive uses
• What we need?
• Greater Political control over the uses of
  sciences and technology

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Recent History.

• George Orwells 1984 (1949)
• Information technology
• Telescreen Big Brother
• No privacy Ministry Truth and Love
• Aldous Huxleys Brave New World (1932)
• Biotechnology
• Genetic engineering
• The drug soma
• Feelies - Implanted electrodes

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Chapter 1
A Tale of Two Dystopias
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Correct ???

• George Orwells 1984 (1949)
• NO?
• Information technology freedom
• PC more info on government
• Big Brother back? total info system
• Aldous Huxleys Brave New World (1932)
• Yes Force no good
• Satisfaction of desire

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What is a human??

• Aldous Huxleys Brave New World (1932)
• Unnatural?
• What is a natural human?
• Human nature
• Accept our destiny as creatures who modify
  themselves?

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Human Nature?

• Defining
• Right and wrong
• Just and unjsut
• Important and unimportant
• Will Biotechnology alter human nature?
• Human nature exists and is a meaningful concept

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Biotechnology

• Different
• Mixes obvious benefits
• Such as ??
• With subtle harm in one seemless package ..
• Such as ??

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Medical / Biotech Bargains

• Longer life reduced mental capacity
• Freedom from depression lack of creativity or
  spirit
• What we achieve and what the drug did (sports??)
  (intellect??)

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Three Scenarios

• Brain drugs beyond Prozac and Ritalin
• Stem cells and new organs aging? Getting out of
  the way
• Wealthy - Screen embryos looks or intelligence
  organs??

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Human Equality?

• Declaration of Independence
• Natural human equality
• Pursuit of happiness?

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Solution?

• Political
• Regulate biotechnology
• National and international regulation
• Pros ---
• Cons ---

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Religions Place?

• Reasons to control beyond religion
• Debate over abortion
• Aristotle human rights can be understood
  along with human nature
• There are rights and wrongs
• Definition of rights based on human nature

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Political Institutions

• Nazi Regime biology was everything
• Communism biology was nothing
• Liberal democracy says battle it out
• Ethical and political issues

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Chapter 2
Sciences of the Brain
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Political Implications

• Scientific Advances have potential political
  implications
• Name some ---

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Nature vs Nurture

• In human behavior
• Growth
• Intelligence
• Personality
• Sexuality

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Racists and Bigots

• Slavery
• Hitler
• 1924 Immigration Act northern to southern
  Europe
• Intelligence testing - army

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Head Size??

• Franz Boas
• Head size and intelligence of immigrant children
  converged with native born based on diet

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Culture or Genes?

• Twin studies
• Strong correlation of behavior
• Color hardwired
• Fundamentals of language
• Blood type
• Sickle-cell anemia

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Habitability of Intelligence

• Largely or not so largely??
• Bell Curve large (race)
• Environment
• Toxicology (not mentioned)
• Politics right vs left

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Eugenics

• a science that deals with the improvement (as by
  control of human mating) of hereditary qualities
  of a race or breed
• Francis Galton 1883
• Karl Pearson Galton Professor of Eugenics at
  University College, London
• Pearsons r correlation

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Intelligence and heredity

• Seems to be some link
• How much??
• 40-50
• Environment toxicology and nutrition
• No support for difference in race

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Genetics and Crime

• Young males 15-25 every society studied
• Chimps too
• Some animal data
• Likely link

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Genes and Sexuality?

• Homosexuality
• Politics
• Religion
• Genes never 100 of anything
• Therapy for gayness??
• Thought experiment ---
• Does gayness add to human dignity human
  nature???

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Biotechnology and Bioethics
Questions or Comments?