In this paper I consider the recent review of the discrimination law of England and Wales. The Discrimination Law Review published its final report, "Framework for a Fairer Future," in 2008. The report advocated a complete overhaul of the discrimination law in England and Wales, creating a single duty to promote equality. Although many of the consultees had argued that genetic discrimination should be included in the grounds of discrimination, the Discrimination Law Review team and the government have since decided to exclude it from the proposed Single Equality Bill. In this paper I analyse the reasons given for this decision, and argue that this was a missed opportunity to deal with a problem which will only get worse in the future.
{"title":"The Single Equality Bill: A Missed Opportunity to Legislate on Genetic Discrimination?","authors":"R. Wilkinson","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1088","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper I consider the recent review of the discrimination law of England and Wales. The Discrimination Law Review published its final report, \"Framework for a Fairer Future,\" in 2008. The report advocated a complete overhaul of the discrimination law in England and Wales, creating a single duty to promote equality. Although many of the consultees had argued that genetic discrimination should be included in the grounds of discrimination, the Discrimination Law Review team and the government have since decided to exclude it from the proposed Single Equality Bill. In this paper I analyse the reasons given for this decision, and argue that this was a missed opportunity to deal with a problem which will only get worse in the future.","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1088","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68798601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The article deals with the Dawson College Massacre, focusing on the story of Kimveer Gill, a 25-year-old man from Laval, Montreal who wished to murder young students in Dawson College. It is argued that the international community should continue working together to devise rules for monitoring specific Internet sites, as human lives are at stake. Preemptive measures could prevent the translation of murderous thoughts into murderous actions. Designated monitoring mechanisms of certain websites that promote violence and seek legitimacy as well as adherents to the actualization of murderous thoughts and hateful messages have a potential of preventing such unfortunate events. Our intention is to draw the attention of the multifaceted international community (law enforcement, governments, the business sector including Internet Service Providers, websites' administrators and owners as well as civil society groups) to the shared interest and need in developing monitoring schemes for certain websites, in order to prevent hideous crimes.
{"title":"Bloody Wednesday in Dawson College - The Story of Kimveer Gill, or Why Should We Monitor Certain Websites to Prevent Murder","authors":"R. Cohen-Almagor, Sharon Haleva-Amir","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1038","url":null,"abstract":"The article deals with the Dawson College Massacre, focusing on the story of Kimveer Gill, a 25-year-old man from Laval, Montreal who wished to murder young students in Dawson College. It is argued that the international community should continue working together to devise rules for monitoring specific Internet sites, as human lives are at stake. Preemptive measures could prevent the translation of murderous thoughts into murderous actions. Designated monitoring mechanisms of certain websites that promote violence and seek legitimacy as well as adherents to the actualization of murderous thoughts and hateful messages have a potential of preventing such unfortunate events. Our intention is to draw the attention of the multifaceted international community (law enforcement, governments, the business sector including Internet Service Providers, websites' administrators and owners as well as civil society groups) to the shared interest and need in developing monitoring schemes for certain websites, in order to prevent hideous crimes.","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1038","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68796990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Traditionally reproduction, gestation and childbirth have all been regarded as being primarily a woman's domain. As natural reproduction occurs inside a woman's body, respect for autonomy and bodily integrity requires the pregnant woman to have the conclusive say over the fate of the embryo/fetus growing within her. Thus traditionally the ethics and law of reproduction is dominated by the importance of respecting women's reproductive choices. This paper argues that emerging technologies demand a radical rethink of ethics and law in the area of reproduction. The creation and storing of embryos outside of a woman's body and maintaining a pregnancy in a brain dead woman's body and future possibilities such as ectogenesis and male pregnancy raise important issues that cannot simply be answered by appealing to the rights of women to control their bodies. There are those who argue that when reproduction or reproductive products exist outside of a woman's body each gamete donor should have an equal say over the fate of the embryo/fetus. Others, however, argue that giving an equal say to gamete donors in practice usually means allowing the male donor to veto the reproductive enterprise and this is unacceptable. As a result it has been suggested that women should be favoured when it comes to such reproductive choices. This paper examines both sides of this debate in order to answer the fundamental ethical and policy question: 'Is there any reason why women should necessarily retain control over reproduction rather than simply over their own bodies?'
{"title":"Is Reproduction Women's Business? How Should We Regulate Regarding Stored Embryos, Posthumous Pregnancy, Ectogenesis and Male Pregnancy?","authors":"R. Bennett","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1037","url":null,"abstract":"Traditionally reproduction, gestation and childbirth have all been regarded as being primarily a woman's domain. As natural reproduction occurs inside a woman's body, respect for autonomy and bodily integrity requires the pregnant woman to have the conclusive say over the fate of the embryo/fetus growing within her. Thus traditionally the ethics and law of reproduction is dominated by the importance of respecting women's reproductive choices. This paper argues that emerging technologies demand a radical rethink of ethics and law in the area of reproduction. The creation and storing of embryos outside of a woman's body and maintaining a pregnancy in a brain dead woman's body and future possibilities such as ectogenesis and male pregnancy raise important issues that cannot simply be answered by appealing to the rights of women to control their bodies. There are those who argue that when reproduction or reproductive products exist outside of a woman's body each gamete donor should have an equal say over the fate of the embryo/fetus. Others, however, argue that giving an equal say to gamete donors in practice usually means allowing the male donor to veto the reproductive enterprise and this is unacceptable. As a result it has been suggested that women should be favoured when it comes to such reproductive choices. This paper examines both sides of this debate in order to answer the fundamental ethical and policy question: 'Is there any reason why women should necessarily retain control over reproduction rather than simply over their own bodies?'","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1037","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68796972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This special issue explores an interdisciplinary topic that lies at the heart of Studies in Ethics, Law, and Technology. The life science industry is increasingly recognised as a key sector in the growth and development of many economies. As it gains momentum, policymakers are confronted with the need to facilitate growth whilst dealing with important ethical and regulatory challenges arising from new technosciences addressing human health and the environment. Such activities present special opportunities and threats to emerging economies such as those in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Countries transitioning from state-run to free market economies are confronted with the need to engage with new actors within the innovation system, such as transnational corporations and public-private partnerships while finding a place within processes of scientific and academic globalisation. At the same time science throws up new social and ethical dilemmas connected with issues such as genetic databases, drug trials and GM crops. The special issue emerged from a workshop held in Prague in October 2007 that attempted to map a number of these dynamics within the region, and explore cases from outside of it that might inform life sciences development.
{"title":"Innovation in Central and Eastern Europe: An Editorial","authors":"P. Robbins, Farah Huzair","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1058","url":null,"abstract":"This special issue explores an interdisciplinary topic that lies at the heart of Studies in Ethics, Law, and Technology. The life science industry is increasingly recognised as a key sector in the growth and development of many economies. As it gains momentum, policymakers are confronted with the need to facilitate growth whilst dealing with important ethical and regulatory challenges arising from new technosciences addressing human health and the environment. Such activities present special opportunities and threats to emerging economies such as those in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Countries transitioning from state-run to free market economies are confronted with the need to engage with new actors within the innovation system, such as transnational corporations and public-private partnerships while finding a place within processes of scientific and academic globalisation. At the same time science throws up new social and ethical dilemmas connected with issues such as genetic databases, drug trials and GM crops. The special issue emerged from a workshop held in Prague in October 2007 that attempted to map a number of these dynamics within the region, and explore cases from outside of it that might inform life sciences development.","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1058","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68797188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article gives an insight into the uptake of cutting edge technologies such as stem cell technologies, RNAi, and gene therapy by the European pharmaceutical industry. The European situation is benchmarked against the most important competitorsUSA and Japanboth in terms of products in the pipeline and on the market. Economic and employment effects illustrate the impact of modern biotechnology for the European economy. Current and future trends and the competitiveness of the European drug developmental pipeline are outlined in terms of relevant indications (e.g., oncology and infectious diseases), the degree of adoption by European companies and the European biotechnological contribution. It shows how national strength in early developmental stages of drug development influences the power of a national market. In this context the role of SMEs and biotechnology start-ups is discussed. The analysis culminates in questioning which factors influence the uptake of technology and the direction of a technology trajectory and which measures are suitable to foster pharmaceutical innovation in general and in CEE in particular.
{"title":"Biopharmaceutical Innovation Capacities - Benchmarking Europe and Implications for CEE","authors":"S. Gaisser, T. Reiss","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1049","url":null,"abstract":"This article gives an insight into the uptake of cutting edge technologies such as stem cell technologies, RNAi, and gene therapy by the European pharmaceutical industry. The European situation is benchmarked against the most important competitorsUSA and Japanboth in terms of products in the pipeline and on the market. Economic and employment effects illustrate the impact of modern biotechnology for the European economy. Current and future trends and the competitiveness of the European drug developmental pipeline are outlined in terms of relevant indications (e.g., oncology and infectious diseases), the degree of adoption by European companies and the European biotechnological contribution. It shows how national strength in early developmental stages of drug development influences the power of a national market. In this context the role of SMEs and biotechnology start-ups is discussed. The analysis culminates in questioning which factors influence the uptake of technology and the direction of a technology trajectory and which measures are suitable to foster pharmaceutical innovation in general and in CEE in particular.","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68797289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper presents the case study of the Estonian Genome Project (EGP) during its initial phase from 2001 to 2007. In these years, the EGP was an independent foundation established by the Estonian government and almost fully financed by foreign and local private venture capital. In essence, it was a public-private partnership in science, research and development. At the end of 2004, this governance structure broke down and private funding was pulled from the project. The paper discusses what went wrong with the EGP and what the main policy lessons are, namely that particularly developing and transition countries like Estonia with low administrative and policy implementation capacity should approach public-private partnerships in high-tech research and development with high caution as conflicts of interests and loss of accountability seem likely; this is particularly the case in biotechnology because of the high scientific and business uncertainty characteristic of the field.
{"title":"The Rise and Fall of the Estonian Genome Project","authors":"R. Kattel, Margit Suurna","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1050","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents the case study of the Estonian Genome Project (EGP) during its initial phase from 2001 to 2007. In these years, the EGP was an independent foundation established by the Estonian government and almost fully financed by foreign and local private venture capital. In essence, it was a public-private partnership in science, research and development. At the end of 2004, this governance structure broke down and private funding was pulled from the project. The paper discusses what went wrong with the EGP and what the main policy lessons are, namely that particularly developing and transition countries like Estonia with low administrative and policy implementation capacity should approach public-private partnerships in high-tech research and development with high caution as conflicts of interests and loss of accountability seem likely; this is particularly the case in biotechnology because of the high scientific and business uncertainty characteristic of the field.","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1050","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68797333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The ban on commercial GMO cultivation in Hungary suggests a scenario in which scientific progress may decline and innovative potential may thus deteriorate. There is the added difficulty of greatly reduced funding and the loss of expertise that accompany fiscal austerity measures. However, initial findings from recent fieldwork suggest that science and innovative potential have not been 'stopped in their tracks.' This paper demonstrates how innovative potential may be generated and captured. It identifies the key actors in the Hungarian system; and via narrative reflection of these actors, the effects of the evolving regulatory framework on innovative capability are also investigated. The ability of innovative potential to survive this period of regulatory uncertainty depends on the adaptability of the R&D network, the ability to shift to alternative learning trajectories and the extent and depth of its international connections. Early indicators of NIS adaptation and response to the regulatory environment in Hungary include changes of activity at the institutional level and at the individual level, which still employ the creative and learning capacities of key innovators, thus allowing them to re-enter the field of GMO technology development, should it become a possibility.
{"title":"Innovative Potential in Hungarian Agricultural Biotechnology and the Evolution of Networks","authors":"Farah Huzair","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1051","url":null,"abstract":"The ban on commercial GMO cultivation in Hungary suggests a scenario in which scientific progress may decline and innovative potential may thus deteriorate. There is the added difficulty of greatly reduced funding and the loss of expertise that accompany fiscal austerity measures. However, initial findings from recent fieldwork suggest that science and innovative potential have not been 'stopped in their tracks.' This paper demonstrates how innovative potential may be generated and captured. It identifies the key actors in the Hungarian system; and via narrative reflection of these actors, the effects of the evolving regulatory framework on innovative capability are also investigated. The ability of innovative potential to survive this period of regulatory uncertainty depends on the adaptability of the R&D network, the ability to shift to alternative learning trajectories and the extent and depth of its international connections. Early indicators of NIS adaptation and response to the regulatory environment in Hungary include changes of activity at the institutional level and at the individual level, which still employ the creative and learning capacities of key innovators, thus allowing them to re-enter the field of GMO technology development, should it become a possibility.","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1051","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68797366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper explores the historical idea of improving humanity. Developments in genetics and political thought have during the last century contributed to eugenic policies which have sometimes had adverse effects on people's lives. But European philosophy has seen attempts to make better human beings long before the current scientific advances. The paper explores these attempts by an examination of the doctrines of Plato, Aristotle, Condorcet, Herder, and Mill, as well as the technological Romanticism of Mary Shelley, before moving on to the more recent eugenic policies inspired by Darwin and Galton.
{"title":"The Historical Idea of a Better Race","authors":"M. Häyry","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1035","url":null,"abstract":"This paper explores the historical idea of improving humanity. Developments in genetics and political thought have during the last century contributed to eugenic policies which have sometimes had adverse effects on people's lives. But European philosophy has seen attempts to make better human beings long before the current scientific advances. The paper explores these attempts by an examination of the doctrines of Plato, Aristotle, Condorcet, Herder, and Mill, as well as the technological Romanticism of Mary Shelley, before moving on to the more recent eugenic policies inspired by Darwin and Galton.","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1035","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68797389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The U.S. military has started to construct and deploy robotic weapons systems. Although human controllers may still be monitoring the functioning of the technology, the next logical step is to transfer incrementally more of the decision-making power to the robots themselves. Thus, this article seeks to examine the ethical implications of the creation and use of "autonomous weapons systems."
{"title":"The Ethics of Autonomous Military Robots","authors":"J. Borenstein","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1036","url":null,"abstract":"The U.S. military has started to construct and deploy robotic weapons systems. Although human controllers may still be monitoring the functioning of the technology, the next logical step is to transfer incrementally more of the decision-making power to the robots themselves. Thus, this article seeks to examine the ethical implications of the creation and use of \"autonomous weapons systems.\"","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1036","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68797411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The good life: just how good could it be? A vision of the future, from the future.
美好的生活:它到底能有多美好?展望未来，从未来出发。
{"title":"Letter from Utopia","authors":"N. Bostrom","doi":"10.2202/1941-6008.1025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2202/1941-6008.1025","url":null,"abstract":"The good life: just how good could it be? A vision of the future, from the future.","PeriodicalId":88318,"journal":{"name":"Studies in ethics, law, and technology","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2202/1941-6008.1025","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68796810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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