Biotechnology, Human Nature, and Christian Ethics

Biotechnology, Human Nature, and Christian Ethics

Author: Gerald McKenny

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2018-01-19

Total Pages: 238

ISBN-13: 110839728X

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In public debates over biotechnology, theologians, philosophers, and political theorists have proposed that biotechnology could have significant implications for human nature. They argue that ethical evaluations of biotechnologies that might affect human nature must take these implications into account. In this book, Gerald McKenny examines these important yet controversial arguments, which have in turn been criticized by many moral philosophers and professional bioethicists. He argues that Christian ethics is, in principle, committed to some version of the claim that human nature has normative status in relation to biotechnology. Showing how both criticisms and defences of this claim have often been facile, he identifies, develops, and critically evaluates three versions of the claim, and contributes a fourth, distinctively Christian version to the debate. Focusing on Christian ethics in conversation with secular ethics, McKenny's book is the first thorough analysis of a controversial contemporary issue.


Book Synopsis Biotechnology, Human Nature, and Christian Ethics by : Gerald McKenny

Download or read book Biotechnology, Human Nature, and Christian Ethics written by Gerald McKenny and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-01-19 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In public debates over biotechnology, theologians, philosophers, and political theorists have proposed that biotechnology could have significant implications for human nature. They argue that ethical evaluations of biotechnologies that might affect human nature must take these implications into account. In this book, Gerald McKenny examines these important yet controversial arguments, which have in turn been criticized by many moral philosophers and professional bioethicists. He argues that Christian ethics is, in principle, committed to some version of the claim that human nature has normative status in relation to biotechnology. Showing how both criticisms and defences of this claim have often been facile, he identifies, develops, and critically evaluates three versions of the claim, and contributes a fourth, distinctively Christian version to the debate. Focusing on Christian ethics in conversation with secular ethics, McKenny's book is the first thorough analysis of a controversial contemporary issue.

Changing Human Nature

Changing Human Nature

Author: James Peterson

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 2010-10-22

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 0802865496

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As debate over the manipulation of human genes rages in the public sphere, James Peterson offers an informed Christian defense of genetic intervention. In Changing Human Nature he pointedly reminds us that the question we need most to consider is not whether our genes will undergo change but whether we will be conscious of and conscientious about the direction of that change. Drawing from the biblical tradition, Peterson argues that human beings have a unique capacity and calling to tend and develop the natural world - including themselves, their bodies, and their genes - as God's garden. While carefully addressing legitimate religious concerns, Peterson's theologically grounded yet jargon-free discussion puts forth clear and specific guidelines for the proper use of genetic intervention to help people. Distinctive for its nuanced approach, Changing Human Nature will fill the need for a thoughtful, positive Christian perspective on this timely topic. Book jacket.


Book Synopsis Changing Human Nature by : James Peterson

Download or read book Changing Human Nature written by James Peterson and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2010-10-22 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As debate over the manipulation of human genes rages in the public sphere, James Peterson offers an informed Christian defense of genetic intervention. In Changing Human Nature he pointedly reminds us that the question we need most to consider is not whether our genes will undergo change but whether we will be conscious of and conscientious about the direction of that change. Drawing from the biblical tradition, Peterson argues that human beings have a unique capacity and calling to tend and develop the natural world - including themselves, their bodies, and their genes - as God's garden. While carefully addressing legitimate religious concerns, Peterson's theologically grounded yet jargon-free discussion puts forth clear and specific guidelines for the proper use of genetic intervention to help people. Distinctive for its nuanced approach, Changing Human Nature will fill the need for a thoughtful, positive Christian perspective on this timely topic. Book jacket.

Autonomy and Food Biotechnology in Theological Ethics

Autonomy and Food Biotechnology in Theological Ethics

Author: Cathriona Russell

Publisher: Peter Lang

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13: 9783039118380

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What does 'autonomy' mean from a Christian perspective? What could a Christian environmental ethics bring to the debate about genetically modified food? This book investigates conflicting claims in the public realm about food biotechnology. It critically evaluates the contribution such technologies make to sustainable agricultural production and environmental stewardship. Challenging the received wisdom in popular environmental theology, the book defends the role of the human person as steward of creation and presents a human-centred Christian environmental ethics rooted in the Kantian tradition of moral philosophy. From this vantage point the author critiques the partiality of many contemporary environmental theologies, which argue for a return to the technological simplicity of an idealised past, or emphasise virtue while taking little account of the role that institutional issues play in framing and defining policy and good practice. In this context the author examines whether or not, under current conditions, transgenic food can contribute to sustainable agricultural production.


Book Synopsis Autonomy and Food Biotechnology in Theological Ethics by : Cathriona Russell

Download or read book Autonomy and Food Biotechnology in Theological Ethics written by Cathriona Russell and published by Peter Lang. This book was released on 2009 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What does 'autonomy' mean from a Christian perspective? What could a Christian environmental ethics bring to the debate about genetically modified food? This book investigates conflicting claims in the public realm about food biotechnology. It critically evaluates the contribution such technologies make to sustainable agricultural production and environmental stewardship. Challenging the received wisdom in popular environmental theology, the book defends the role of the human person as steward of creation and presents a human-centred Christian environmental ethics rooted in the Kantian tradition of moral philosophy. From this vantage point the author critiques the partiality of many contemporary environmental theologies, which argue for a return to the technological simplicity of an idealised past, or emphasise virtue while taking little account of the role that institutional issues play in framing and defining policy and good practice. In this context the author examines whether or not, under current conditions, transgenic food can contribute to sustainable agricultural production.

Body & Soul

Body & Soul

Author: J. P. Moreland

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2009-09-20

Total Pages: 385

ISBN-13: 0830874593

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While most people throughout history have believed that we are both physical and spiritual beings, the rise of science has called into question the existence of the soul. Many now argue that neurophysiology demonstrates the radical dependence, indeed, identity, between mind and brain. Advances in genetics and in mapping human DNA, some say, show there is no need for the hypothesis of body-soul dualism. Even many Christian intellectuals have come to view the soul as a false Greek concept that is outdated and unbiblical. Concurrent with the demise of dualism has been the rise of advanced medical technologies that have brought to the fore difficult issues at both edges of life. Central to questions about abortion, fetal research, reproductive techologies, cloning and euthanasia is our understanding of the nature of human personhood, the reality of life after death and the value of ethical or religious knowledge as compared to scientific knowledge. In this careful treatment, J. P. Moreland and Scott B. Rae argue that the rise of these problems alongside the demise of Christian dualism is no coincidence. They therefore employ a theological realism to meet these pressing issues, and to present a reasonable and biblical depiction of human nature as it impinges upon critical ethical concerns. This vigorous philosophical and ethical defense of human nature as body and soul, regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees, will be for all a touchstone for debate and discussion for years to come.


Book Synopsis Body & Soul by : J. P. Moreland

Download or read book Body & Soul written by J. P. Moreland and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2009-09-20 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While most people throughout history have believed that we are both physical and spiritual beings, the rise of science has called into question the existence of the soul. Many now argue that neurophysiology demonstrates the radical dependence, indeed, identity, between mind and brain. Advances in genetics and in mapping human DNA, some say, show there is no need for the hypothesis of body-soul dualism. Even many Christian intellectuals have come to view the soul as a false Greek concept that is outdated and unbiblical. Concurrent with the demise of dualism has been the rise of advanced medical technologies that have brought to the fore difficult issues at both edges of life. Central to questions about abortion, fetal research, reproductive techologies, cloning and euthanasia is our understanding of the nature of human personhood, the reality of life after death and the value of ethical or religious knowledge as compared to scientific knowledge. In this careful treatment, J. P. Moreland and Scott B. Rae argue that the rise of these problems alongside the demise of Christian dualism is no coincidence. They therefore employ a theological realism to meet these pressing issues, and to present a reasonable and biblical depiction of human nature as it impinges upon critical ethical concerns. This vigorous philosophical and ethical defense of human nature as body and soul, regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees, will be for all a touchstone for debate and discussion for years to come.

Genetics and Christian Ethics

Genetics and Christian Ethics

Author: Celia Deane-Drummond

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9780521829434

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In the immediate future we are likely to witness significant developments in human genetic science. It is therefore of critical importance that Christian ethics engages with the genetics debate, since it affects not just the way we perceive ourselves and the natural world, but also has wider implications for our society. This book considers ethical issues arising out of specific practices in human genetics, including genetic screening, gene patenting, gene therapy, genetic counselling as well as feminist concerns. Genetics and Christian Ethics argues for a particular theo-ethical approach that derives from a modified version of virtue ethics, drawing particularly on a Thomistic understanding of the virtues, especially prudence or practical wisdom and justice. The book demonstrates that a theological voice is highly relevant to contested ethical debates about genetics.


Book Synopsis Genetics and Christian Ethics by : Celia Deane-Drummond

Download or read book Genetics and Christian Ethics written by Celia Deane-Drummond and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2006 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the immediate future we are likely to witness significant developments in human genetic science. It is therefore of critical importance that Christian ethics engages with the genetics debate, since it affects not just the way we perceive ourselves and the natural world, but also has wider implications for our society. This book considers ethical issues arising out of specific practices in human genetics, including genetic screening, gene patenting, gene therapy, genetic counselling as well as feminist concerns. Genetics and Christian Ethics argues for a particular theo-ethical approach that derives from a modified version of virtue ethics, drawing particularly on a Thomistic understanding of the virtues, especially prudence or practical wisdom and justice. The book demonstrates that a theological voice is highly relevant to contested ethical debates about genetics.

Unprecedented Choices

Unprecedented Choices

Author: Audrey R. Chapman

Publisher: Fortress Press

Published: 1999-01-01

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13: 9781451403978

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"We face unprecedented choices in genetics for which traditional ethics provides little direct guidance. What role can the religious community play in addressing the ethical and theological issues that even scientists now acknowledge as urgent?"--cover.


Book Synopsis Unprecedented Choices by : Audrey R. Chapman

Download or read book Unprecedented Choices written by Audrey R. Chapman and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "We face unprecedented choices in genetics for which traditional ethics provides little direct guidance. What role can the religious community play in addressing the ethical and theological issues that even scientists now acknowledge as urgent?"--cover.

Ethics & Biotechnology

Ethics & Biotechnology

Author: Anthony Dyson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2002-09-11

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 1134874626

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The development of biotechnology has produced nothing short of a revolution, both in our capacity to manipulate living things from single plant cells to human nature itself, but also to manufacture brand new life forms. This power to shape and create forms of life has sometimes been described as the power to "play God" and this book is about the ethics of "playing God" in the field of biotechnology. International scholars cover moral dilemmas posed by biotechnology, from the smallest cells through animals to the engineering of human beings.


Book Synopsis Ethics & Biotechnology by : Anthony Dyson

Download or read book Ethics & Biotechnology written by Anthony Dyson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2002-09-11 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The development of biotechnology has produced nothing short of a revolution, both in our capacity to manipulate living things from single plant cells to human nature itself, but also to manufacture brand new life forms. This power to shape and create forms of life has sometimes been described as the power to "play God" and this book is about the ethics of "playing God" in the field of biotechnology. International scholars cover moral dilemmas posed by biotechnology, from the smallest cells through animals to the engineering of human beings.

The Ethics of Nature

The Ethics of Nature

Author: Celia Deane-Drummond

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2008-04-15

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0470775246

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This accessible and timely book uses a Christian perspective to explore ethical debates about nature. A detailed exploration of humanity’s treatment of the natural world from a Christian perspective. Covers a range of ethical debates, including current controversies about the environment, animal rights, biotechnology, consciousness, and cloning. Sets the immediate issues in the context of underlying theological and philosophical assumptions. Complex scientific issues are explained in clear student-friendly language. The author develops her own distinctive ethical approach centred on the practice of wisdom. Discusses key figures in the field, including Peter Singer, Aldo Leopold, Tom Regan, Andrew Linzey, James Lovelock, Anne Primavesi, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Michael Northcott. The author has held academic posts in both theology and plant science.


Book Synopsis The Ethics of Nature by : Celia Deane-Drummond

Download or read book The Ethics of Nature written by Celia Deane-Drummond and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This accessible and timely book uses a Christian perspective to explore ethical debates about nature. A detailed exploration of humanity’s treatment of the natural world from a Christian perspective. Covers a range of ethical debates, including current controversies about the environment, animal rights, biotechnology, consciousness, and cloning. Sets the immediate issues in the context of underlying theological and philosophical assumptions. Complex scientific issues are explained in clear student-friendly language. The author develops her own distinctive ethical approach centred on the practice of wisdom. Discusses key figures in the field, including Peter Singer, Aldo Leopold, Tom Regan, Andrew Linzey, James Lovelock, Anne Primavesi, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Michael Northcott. The author has held academic posts in both theology and plant science.

Biotechnology and the Human Good

Biotechnology and the Human Good

Author: C. Ben Mitchell

Publisher: Georgetown University Press

Published: 2007-04-23

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 9781589012769

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Some of humankind's greatest tools have been forged in the research laboratory. Who could argue that medical advances like antibiotics, blood transfusions, and pacemakers have not improved the quality of people's lives? But with each new technological breakthrough there comes an array of consequences, at once predicted and unpredictable, beneficial and hazardous. Outcry over recent developments in the reproductive and genetic sciences has revealed deep fissures in society's perception of biotechnical progress. Many are concerned that reckless technological development, driven by consumerist impulses and greedy entrepreneurialism, has the potential to radically shift the human condition—and not for the greater good. Biotechnology and the Human Good builds a case for a stewardship deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian theism to responsibly interpret and assess new technologies in a way that answers this concern. The authors jointly recognize humans not as autonomous beings but as ones accountable to each other, to the world they live in, and to God. They argue that to question and critique how fields like cybernetics, nanotechnology, and genetics might affect our future is not anti-science, anti-industry, or anti-progress, but rather a way to promote human flourishing, common sense, and good stewardship. A synthetic work drawing on the thought of a physician, ethicists, and a theologian, Biotechnology and the Human Good reminds us that although technology is a powerful and often awe-inspiring tool, it is what lies in the heart and soul of who wields this tool that truly makes the difference in our world.


Book Synopsis Biotechnology and the Human Good by : C. Ben Mitchell

Download or read book Biotechnology and the Human Good written by C. Ben Mitchell and published by Georgetown University Press. This book was released on 2007-04-23 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some of humankind's greatest tools have been forged in the research laboratory. Who could argue that medical advances like antibiotics, blood transfusions, and pacemakers have not improved the quality of people's lives? But with each new technological breakthrough there comes an array of consequences, at once predicted and unpredictable, beneficial and hazardous. Outcry over recent developments in the reproductive and genetic sciences has revealed deep fissures in society's perception of biotechnical progress. Many are concerned that reckless technological development, driven by consumerist impulses and greedy entrepreneurialism, has the potential to radically shift the human condition—and not for the greater good. Biotechnology and the Human Good builds a case for a stewardship deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian theism to responsibly interpret and assess new technologies in a way that answers this concern. The authors jointly recognize humans not as autonomous beings but as ones accountable to each other, to the world they live in, and to God. They argue that to question and critique how fields like cybernetics, nanotechnology, and genetics might affect our future is not anti-science, anti-industry, or anti-progress, but rather a way to promote human flourishing, common sense, and good stewardship. A synthetic work drawing on the thought of a physician, ethicists, and a theologian, Biotechnology and the Human Good reminds us that although technology is a powerful and often awe-inspiring tool, it is what lies in the heart and soul of who wields this tool that truly makes the difference in our world.

Bioethics

Bioethics

Author: Gilbert Meilaender

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 2013-01-06

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 1467437530

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In the face of continuing advances in medical research and treatment, bioethics remains a serious ongoing social concern. For nearly two decades Gilbert Meilaender’s Bioethics has offered discerning Christian guidance on a wide range of pressing issues in medical ethics. Now in its third edition, Meilaender’s Bioethics covers abortion, assisted reproduction, genetic research, suicide and euthanasia, human experimentation — and much more — in language that is theologically informed, straightforward, and clear. This new edition includes updated information throughout and an added discussion of the need to protect Christian conscience in the practice of medicine.


Book Synopsis Bioethics by : Gilbert Meilaender

Download or read book Bioethics written by Gilbert Meilaender and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-06 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the face of continuing advances in medical research and treatment, bioethics remains a serious ongoing social concern. For nearly two decades Gilbert Meilaender’s Bioethics has offered discerning Christian guidance on a wide range of pressing issues in medical ethics. Now in its third edition, Meilaender’s Bioethics covers abortion, assisted reproduction, genetic research, suicide and euthanasia, human experimentation — and much more — in language that is theologically informed, straightforward, and clear. This new edition includes updated information throughout and an added discussion of the need to protect Christian conscience in the practice of medicine.