Braun Matthias, Fernau Sandra, Dabrock Peter
Chair of Systematic Theology II (Ethics), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Kochstraße 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Adv Biosyst. 2019 Jun;3(6):e1800326. doi: 10.1002/adbi.201800326. Epub 2019 May 7.
This structured literature analysis aims to map the current, emerging, and predicted future of synthetic biology (SB) by putting the focus on the implied conceptual, societal, and ethical challenges. The central objective of the analysis is to provide an initial systematization of the ethical and socio-scientific debate on SB by structuring and categorizing widely discussed issues within the debate in recent years. Starting with the quest for possible definitions, issues of biosafety and biosecurity are emphasized. Furthermore, the focus is on the more conceptual challenges of SB, including the relationship between natural and synthetic, or concepts of life and living. From the very beginning, one specific characteristic of SB has been a strong entanglement with different forms of public participation. In some respects SB has already taken a leading position in claiming and orchestrating itself as an integrative and participatory discipline. After addressing SB as an emerging biotechnology at the interface between science and society, a venture is initiated to focus on the possible regulatory and governmental challenges which are entangled in SB.
这一结构化文献分析旨在通过聚焦合成生物学（SB）所隐含的概念、社会和伦理挑战，梳理其当前、新兴及未来预测情况。该分析的核心目标是，通过对近年来辩论中广泛讨论的问题进行结构化和分类，对关于合成生物学的伦理和社会科学辩论进行初步系统化梳理。从寻求可能的定义入手，强调生物安全和生物安保问题。此外，重点关注合成生物学在概念上的更多挑战，包括自然与合成的关系，或生命与生活的概念。从一开始，合成生物学的一个显著特点就是与不同形式的公众参与紧密相连。在某些方面，合成生物学在宣称并将自身打造成为一门综合性和参与性学科方面已占据领先地位。在将合成生物学作为科学与社会交叉领域的新兴生物技术进行探讨之后，着手关注合成生物学中可能涉及的监管和政府方面的挑战。
