Overview

A Question of Purpose

Intellectual Property Rights

Epistemological Foundations

Suggested Readings

In the economics and social science literature, the potential impacts of agricultural biotechnology are typically assessed by economic analyses, environmental fate studies, and social surveys. Another important component for us to consider, however, is the ethical justification of applying technologies in agriculture that create genetically modified organisms. Ellerbrock (2002) shares his perspective with a unique discussion on bioethics with respect to nature and purpose.

Ellerbrock notes that ethics offers a set of moral and spiritual criteria for weighing beneficial outcomes against costs in order to more fully characterize the potential effects of agricultural biotechnology on indigenous societies. From an ethical perspective, a justification for modern agricultural biotechnology must consider the notion that nature has some fundamental purpose. Moreover, Ellerbrock reminds us that to engage in such a discussion requires that we speak to basic human values. Thus, evaluating the impact of agricultural biotechnology within a social context involves principles of social ethics and fundamental tests defining humanity.

Amidst the many ethical concerns posed by the development of agricultural biotechnology, Ellerbrock raises two fundamental questions that are particularly vexing:

1. Can human beings change an animal or plant's telos (species identity or ultimate purpose), assuming they have one?
2. If an animal or plant's telos can be changed, then who should decide its (new) fate?

Answering the first question involves exploring how one might know (and possibly redirect) a being's telos. Ellerbrock notes that while some skeptics ridicule the notion of cosmic telos as pure mysticism, others see evidence of telos in nature's sophisticated chaos, creative novelty, and dynamic entropy.

Ellerbrock suggests that addressing the second question requires a holistic assessment of the social context in which agricultural biotechnology is developed and implemented, particularly in terms of balancing the power of large agribusiness firms with the interests of indigenous farmers.

Reference:
Ellerbrock, M. (2002). Metaphysical Keys to Evaluating Agricultural Biotechnology: Eschatological Myths & Epistemological Tests. Paper presented at the Joint Annual Meetings of the Association for the Study of Food and Society and the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society, Chicago, IL.

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