Assignment: Ethics and the Engineering Profession

Paper: Applied Ethics

Genetically modified organisms (or GMOs) are any life form whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. There is great promise for the use of GMOs in our everyday lives (such as increased food production, the evolution of novel drug therapies, etc) but also many risks (such as unknown effects on organisms that consume GMO, influence of GMOs on the environment, etc). While some authoritative bodies have concluded that consumption of GMO products present no greater risk than natural products', others, notably the European Union, have disputed those conclusions2. The purpose of this paper is to properly apply ethical theories to controversies associated with GMOs and food production.

1) First section

Compare/contrast the utilitarian, libertarian, and deontological ethical theories in light of issues presented by GMOs.

2) Second section

a) Identify three ethical issues regarding the introduction of GMOs into the food supply. Provide a description of each issue and the primary reasons supporting or opposing GMOs.

b) Pick one of the three issues from 2)a) above and one of the ethical theories from 1) above. Form an ethical argument FOR the use of GMO's based on the ethical theory selected.

c) Pick a different one of the three issues from 2)a) above and a different one of the ethical theories from 1) above. Form an ethical argument AGAINST the use of GMO's based on the ethical theory selected.

This paper is to be at least five full pages long (not including references), typed, double-spaced using 12 point font, and standard margins (1" top, bottom, sides). Refer to the scoring rubric in D2L (Materials > Syllabus and Course Information > GENG 101_Scoring Rubrics_Spr2016) for additional information.

Note: Your grade depends upon properly using ethical theories to defend a position. Phrases like 'I feel strongly that ...' or 'I believe that ...' should not appear. Instead, phrases like "Utilitarianism requires that ... and therefore ...." are better here.

Some web references for ethical theories are given below.

• Internet Encyclopedia of Ethics: http://www.iep.utm.edu/ethics/#SSH1b.i
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normative_ethics
• A brief overview: http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/gwschlabach/docs/ethicsprimer.htm
• Argument approaches summary: http://webpages.uah.edu/Theikesd/202/IntroEthicalTheory.pdf

1 http://www.aaas.org/news/aaas-board-directors-legally-nnandating-gm-food-labels-could-%E2%80%9Cmislead¬and-falsely-alarm.
2 http://www.ensser.org/increasing-public-information/no-scientific-consensus-on-gmo-safetyi