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Introduction and reflexion about pro/am in science

• 08/18 : Introduction : why ethical reflexion in science? life science? synthetic biology?

Today, the main aim was to introduce ethical questions in science in a general way. We start by asking ourselves that question : « What are the condition I have to accept to get a new knowledge? », in other worlds and in a “what acceptable means to our end” process, what do we have to consider first and fundamentally : our quest of knowledge or the possible consequences of that knowledge, by his existence itself or in its applications.

We wonder about the tension between the fact that ethical interesting are necessary but implies also a certain slowing down of the research and innovation process. That led us to the precautionary principle, starting with the fact that it seems impossible to get the effect of a certain discovery without experiment it. Under that light, the precautionary principle appears as a limitation of the research process, even worst, something which incite ourselves to inaction.

All that questions and arguments went with a lot of concrete examples : treatment of nuclear waste, stem cells cases in France and in the US, psychology experiment with animals in the 50's and 60's and many other. Then, I propose to examine who had to take the final decisions in science, regarding that ethical problems. The position of the team is quite homogeneous : the scientific has to take the decision, because the one who hold knowledge has to be the responsible for. The way of doing it should be as a council or anything which represent the scientific community. Soufiane, who propose a more social and democratic solution : if everyone, every citizen is concerned by scientific productions, everyone has to decide. Everyone admits that, anyway, nowdays, the legislator is the one who, at least, take the decision.

At the end of that first one hour talk, some proposal and analysis were expressed : Knowledge is amoral, and the ethical problems relies on applications. what about a “note of a good use” written by scientist?

To conclude very briefly that first post, we can notice that, from the first question to the final point, all that ethical questions, analysis and recommendation are specifically express from the scientific standpoint. The main issue here is to deal with the will of getting knowledge and how this will has to be acceptable. That kind of reflexions should be very different in a different community. The ethical questions, deeply pragmatic, are included and performed in that “how to” concern. That “how to” venture is, then, framed and state as a “how to get and, at the same time, manage knowledge and his application”.

• 08/19 : Team brainstorming about synthetic biology definition