Ethical Tensions from New Technology ― The Case of Agricultural Biotechnology

The introduction of new technologies can be controversial, especially when they create winners and losers and ethical tensions among stakeholders and interest groups, when there is a conflict of interests, values or rights. Ethical tensions resulting from the genetic modification of crops and plants and their supportive gene technologies have been apparent for decades. This book explores the contemporary nature, type, extent and implications of ethical tensions resulting from agricultural biotechnology specifically and technology generally, in particular whether they have changed thinking on ethical tensions and what unique challenges are posed for evaluating the role of technology in society? There are four main arenas of ethical tensions: public opinion, older versus new technologies, technology as solutions to problems, and policy and regulation. Public interest speaks to both existing and new technologies, affects how problems are defined and interacts with policy making. Technological solutions often leave out social, cultural and other relevant context. This is why public interest and policy matter when technologies are introduced. The contributions identify ethical tensions and articulate emerging fault lines, and where possible viable solutions.