Ethical aspects of genetic engineering of plants and animals

Gensko inženirstvo spada med najbolj revolucionarne tehnologije druge polovice 20. stoletja in se uporablja na raznih področjih človekovega delovanja. Ob tem se odpirajo razna etično-moralna, družbena in ekološka vprašanja ter dileme. Namen diplomskega dela je zato obravnavati pozitivne in negativne vidike genskega inženiringa rastlin in živali ter jih oceniti s stališča etike, natančneje s pomočjo etiških teorij: utilitarizma, etike dolžnosti ter etike vrlin. V nalogi so podrobno predstavljeni argumenti in ugovori za oziroma proti genskemu inženiringu rastlin in živali na področju kmetijstva, prehrambene industrije in medicine. Ugotovljeno je, da navkljub številnim koristim, ki jih takšni organizmi ter njihovi produkti prinašajo, je potrebno biti pozoren na morebitne negativne posledice njihove uporabe. Po presojanju etiške (ne)pravilnosti genskega spreminjanja organizmov je uporaba Aristotelove prave mere najboljša pot.Genetic engineering is one of the most revolutionary technologies that came about in the second half of the 20th century, and is today used in various areas of human activity. However, it also opens a series of ethical and moral questions, social and environmental issues and dilemmas. The purpose of this diploma thesis is to look at the positive and negative aspects of genetic engineering of plants and animals, assessing them from an ethical standpoint, specifically with consideration to ethical theories, i.e. utilitarianism, duty-based ethics and virtue ethics. The paper goes on to present in detail the arguments for and against genetic engineering of plants and animals in agriculture, the food industry and medicine. It was established that despite the numerous benefits provided by such organisms and products made from them, it is necessary to pay special attention to the possible negative implications arising from their usage. Thus, it appears that, when ascertaining the ethical rightfulness/wrongfulness of genetically modifying organisms, heeding Aristotle’s middle course is the best way forward