New epistemologic perspectives in biotechnology ethics: the case of GM fish

L. Coutellec

New epistemologic perspectives in biotechnology ethics: the case of GM fish

In: Ethical futures: bioscience and food horizons

Author:

L. Coutellec

L. Coutellec Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, Département des Humanités, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex, France; leo.coutellec@insa-lyon.fr

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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 310–316

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086866731_053

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To anticipate the possible presence of genetically modified fish (GM fish) in France, a network of scientists – specialised in the transgenesis of fish, the socio-economics of the fish industries, the sociology of consumption, the detection of GMOs, legal regulation, the philosophy of contemporary science and ethics – proposes to examine the various aspects of the technology, its impacts and the strategies to implement, before any controversy arises. The question of the commercial use of GM fish is complex in that there are a number of social and food-related issues involved. It is difficult to anticipate all possible trajectories, where: multiple disciplines are involved; the relations between cause and effect are not linear; the consequences cannot be ascertained in the short term; and there is a storm of uncertainties at so many levels. In this paper, I propose to report some of the reflections regarding the epistemology and ethics of this project. The question that concerns us for this work is the following: What types of scientific approaches and knowledge can facilitate close interaction with ethics and a more effective social intervention? In this sense, the basic premise is that technological ethics must be accompanied by renewed epistemological reflection. Indeed, it is possible to renew our representation of the concept of science and its relationship to technology by adopting the position of epistemological pluralism. In the face of a complex problem, this conception of epistemological pluralism will enable us to consider ways of producing knowledge that can tolerate uncertainty, and constructive research approaches like interdisciplinarity. I submit the hypothesis that these new perspectives in epistemology create the possibility for new relationships between ethics and epistemology, and open the way for technological ethics taking into account multiple parameters, multiple strategies or scientific and technological trajectories. I present a part of this approach discussing the possible case of accidentally imported GM fish in France. Our research is a theoretical and practical contribution for ethical analysis in a context of biotechnological emergence.

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Ethical futures: bioscience and food horizons

E-Book ISBN:: 9789086866731

Publisher:: Wageningen Academic

Print Publication Date:: 30 Oct 2009

Subjects
- Life Sciences

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New epistemologic perspectives in biotechnology ethics: the case of GM fish

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Ethical futures: bioscience and food horizons

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