Bio-Techno-Fear (or Re: Genetic engineering?)

[Jim Bullard]

On Sun, 1 Dec 1996, Jarrod Stenberg wrote:

> ---------
> I have recently developed an interest in the emergent biotechnologies, 
> specifically genetic engineering.  This is difficult to avoid considering 
> the amount of information that flows in the newspapers and even on the 
> increasingly schlocky TV news.  Bio-technologies also have begun to 
> blanket all aspects of human life, ranging from medicine and 
> pharmaceuticals (AIDS protease techs in the news), food processing, 
> agriculture (vigile ante virus that kill pests and herbicidal resistant 
> produce) and so forth.  The debate has reached all the way to the Pope 
> regarding in vitro fertilization particlularly when applied to gene 
> screening (=selection), prompting scientists to consider that filthy word 
> morality, which is apparently made innocuous by dilligent ethics.
> 
> This is very abbreviated and I will put forth a larger effort by the end 
> of the week as regards my interest.  I hope to promote a thread specific 
> to this interest in the mean time.
> 
> In researching the subject, I have found that much of the literature has 
> difficulty concealing a bias towards biotechnology with a flavour of big 
> business.  The trend is to accuse public  ignorance for a strain of 
> techno-fear which in this case would be bio-techno-fear.
> 
> I appreciate those who will sincerely promote this thread.  I welcome any 
> view as I expect from this group.
> 
> Thanks,
> -jarrod
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Jarrod P. Stenberg
> sten0013 at gold.tc.umn.edu
> http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/g414/sten0013/
> St. Paul, Minnesota  --  U.S.A
> 
Please don't
> 
>