Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
Sci Eng Ethics. 2013 Sep;19(3):1121-39. doi: 10.1007/s11948-012-9365-8. Epub 2012 Apr 26.
The emergence of synthetic biology holds the potential of a major breakthrough in the life sciences by transforming biology into a predictive science. The dual-use characteristics of similar breakthroughs during the twentieth century have led to the application of benignly intended research in e.g. virology, bacteriology and aerobiology in offensive biological weapons programmes. Against this background the article raises the question whether the precautionary governance of synthetic biology can aid in preventing this techno-science witnessing the same fate? In order to address this question, this paper proceeds in four steps: it firstly introduces the emerging techno-science of synthetic biology and presents some of its potential beneficial applications. It secondly analyses contributions to the bioethical discourse on synthetic biology as well as precautionary reasoning and its application to life science research in general and synthetic biology more specifically. The paper then identifies manifestations of a moderate precautionary principle in the emerging synthetic biology dual-use governance discourse. Using a dual-use governance matrix as heuristic device to analyse some of the proposed measures, it concludes that the identified measures can best be described as "patchwork precaution" and that a more systematic approach to construct a web of dual-use precaution for synthetic biology is needed in order to guard more effectively against the field's future misuse for harmful applications.
合成生物学的出现有可能通过将生物学转化为一门可预测的科学，在生命科学领域取得重大突破。二十世纪类似突破的双重用途特征导致良性意图的研究，如病毒学、细菌学和空气生物学，应用于进攻性生物武器计划。在这种背景下，本文提出了这样一个问题：合成生物学的审慎治理是否有助于防止这一技术科学遭受同样的命运？为了解决这个问题，本文分四步进行：首先介绍新兴的合成生物学技术科学，并介绍其一些潜在的有益应用。其次，分析了对合成生物学的生物伦理话语以及预防推理的贡献，以及它们对一般生命科学研究，特别是更具体的合成生物学研究的应用。然后，本文确定了适度预防原则在新兴的合成生物学双重用途治理话语中的表现形式。本文使用双重用途治理矩阵作为启发式工具来分析一些提议的措施，得出的结论是，所确定的措施最好被描述为“拼凑式预防”，需要采取更系统的方法来构建合成生物学的双重用途预防网络，以便更有效地防范该领域未来对有害应用的滥用。
