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our success while ignoring completely the need to reduce suffering As in all human adventures, risks are inevitable. In fact, in the
and unhappiness among human beings? Buddhist perspective, human life itself is fragile and thus risky.
Anything can go wrong despite the best of intention. Biotechnology
Such a scenario is really unfortunate. From the Buddhist is now seen as a very risky business but does it mean that human
perspective, biotechnology, like any other technologies, is beings should stop its research and development? I don’t think so.
intrinsically neutral; it is neither positive nor negative. The values This is because human beings are by nature risk-takers. Human
we attach to any technology depends very much on our motivation beings are endowed with courage to overcome obstacles and
behind its application. For this reason, inputs from Buddhism and difficulties. Furthermore, human effort to search for knowledge and
other spiritual traditions become all the more essential and critical. truth would be retarded if adventures are given up simply because
of the risk factor. Therefore a more practical and rational approach
Let the Genie Out of the Bottle? would be to manage risks.
One of the major concerns of those who prefer the natural way In risks a few major considerations must be taken into
is that biotechnology brings forth risks that would endanger not account. Firstly, there must be sufficient knowledge of the subject
only human lives but also the human species. Such a concern really matter. With deeper knowledge and understanding risks could be
warrants serious attention. minimised. Unfortunately in the process of gaining that knowledge
risks are involved too. (This dilemma is again an unsatisfactory
Biotechnology involves many different techniques and state of affairs or dukkha.) Nevertheless, with careful planning and
processes and is applied to a wide field of applications, with varying incremental research and development, greater knowledge could be
risks and hazards. In agricultural and aquaculture applications, it gained that reduces the risks involved.
is feared that technology would result in a reduction of biological
diversity, gene leakage that would upset the ecological balance, Adequate knowledge will help one to assess the risks involved
out-growing of superbugs, contamination of seeds and crops, and more realistically rather than just by mere feeling. In a survey done
destruction of agro-sustainability that will ultimately jeopardise by the University of Sheffield (Department of Journalism Studies
human health and life. Many are also concerned that GM food and Sheffield Institute for Biological Law and Ethics), it was reported
would be detrimental to health. In medical and health applications, that scientists and journalists were much more confident than the
the cloning technology used is reported to produce developmental public about the risks and benefits associated with biotechnology.
and health abnormalities. Dolly the sheep, for instance, developed An overwhelming majority of the scientists (93 per cent) and a clear
premature arthritis and died young. The risks would be amplified majority of the journalists (65 per cent) interviewed in the survey
if germ-line modification (modification that is hereditarily passed believed that benefits outweighed risks. The public had been found
down to the future generations) were adopted. to be much more circumspect in their opinions and consequently
less convinced about the benefits and absence of serious risks
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