Team:HKUST-Rice/Practices

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Human Practices

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Introduction to the debate

A debate of the sharpest minds on an ethical topic “Is it ethical to treat micro-organisms as a chassis for the betterment in agriculture?” is held soon. There are some intriguing thoughts emerging with the advancement of synthetic biology is possibly a way leading to a better life. As some people believe human beings, who poorly manage the use of resources, is now reaping the fruits of their past actions; and thus, it is unreasonable to use and modify other organisms in exchange for the betterment of our life. Therefore, we question whether “saving the world & making a better life” is an excuse to treat microorganism as a biological machine in agricultural practices.

Objectives

1. To examine the ethical and moral landscapes of synthetic biology critically.
2. To reflect on the goods and harms brought by human activities.
3. To assess various attitudes towards the controversies brought by synbio-application for the betterment of people's living.