Biosecurity and Research Bioethics Quiz

Biosecurity and Research Bioethics

• Biosecurity is a broad, integrated strategy with frameworks for policy, regulation, tools, and activities to analyze and control hazards to human, animal, plant life, and the environment.
•  Biosecurity is important because some biological agents are naturally dangerous and can be used for biological warfare and bioterrorism (e.g., 2001 Anthrax Attacks).
• Introducing genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) through research can threaten species diversity and damage the environment.
• An impending food scarcity is due to population growth, industrial expansion, and soil erosion.
• Agricultural practices are changing, which can be beneficial but may threaten human and animal health and the environment.

What is Bioethics?

• Bioethics is a branch of ethics focusing on social, moral, and legal problems that arise from investigation and use of life sciences and medical research.

Why is Bioethics Important?

• Bioethics aims to defend the dignity and identity of all human beings regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or socioeconomic status.
• Bioethics ensures respect for human integrity and other rights, and basic freedoms regarding the use of biology and medicine (Human Rights and Biomedicine Convention, 1997).
• Bioethics strives to ensure moral standards advance at the same pace as biological technology.
• Examples where bioethics plays a role include:
  • Determining if a pregnancy should be maintained when a baby has severe brain damage at birth
  • Determining if life support should be continued, and organs donated for other babies when the baby is born unconscious.

Bioethics is Based on Morality

• Morality is defined as a code of conduct that all rational people would follow.
• The minimum basis for morality includes using reason/logic for behavior and acting in the best interests of others while also considering one's own interests.

Morality is Based on Reasoning

• Types of reasoning include consequentialist and deontological reasoning.
• Consequentialist reasoning weighs the benefits and harms of an action. (e.g., Using insecticides is morally good because some insects are harmful to people).
• Deontological reasoning examines if something is inherently good or bad. (e.g., Lying to friends is bad, even though the lie might reduce problems with those friends).

Schools of Moral Theory

• Moral theory is a way of reasoning to determine what morality entails.
• These moral theories include:
  • Social contract theory
  • Utilitarianism
  • Kantian theory
  • Rights theory

1. Social Contract Theory

• Developed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
• Morality is a set of guidelines adhered to by people, provided other people do the same.
• Morality is separate from religion and altruism.
• Moral standards are upheld by legal punishment.
• Enables people to be benevolent as they are not endangered in society.
• Seeks a cooperative social order where everyone can flourish.

2. Utilitarianism

• Founded by Jeremy Bentham.
• Morality is determined by what makes the majority happy.
• Rejects traditional moral and religious beliefs.

3. Kantian Theory

• Developed by Immanuel Kant.
• Morality is guided by reason.
• Actions are evaluated based on moral intention.
• Moral actions are obligatory, not desired.
• People should not be used as a means to an end. (No exploitation)
• Moral laws should be universalizable.
• People should freely choose to follow universal moral obligations.
• An example is an employer warning an employee about factory work hazards, not because they fear a lawsuit but because it's their obligation.

4. Rights Theory

• Focuses on rights, not moral obligations.
• Includes positive and negative rights:
  • Positive rights involve receiving something from others (e.g., healthcare, food).
  • Negative rights involve freedom from interference by others (e.g., not being killed, privacy).
• Rights and obligations are interconnected. 
• If someone has a right, someone else has a corresponding obligation.
• Key examples of basic rights and obligations are provided in the slides.