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Week 6 | BioTech + Art | Blog Assignment

James Hepp

5/5/2022

Bioart and biotech has been extremely controversial for very obvious reasons. Bioart and biotech is controversial because of the immorality and lack of ethics demonstrated when doing research studies on live organisms. Many people have suggested that this type of research is unethical. But it wasn't always controversial. People have began to realize the impact that this kind of research has on the living organisms. 

https://www.labiotech.eu/in-depth/history-biotechnology-genentech/

One part that stood out to me in the lecture video was the testing they did on the hearing of rats and what sounds/noises affect them the most. The reason why we test rats in laboratories is because they are very similar to humans on the evolutionary tree. Therefore, we are able to do research about humans without having to do any physical harm to humans. Transgenic rats are genetically engineered to be tested on so that specific research is able to be done on them.

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/666345/mouse.jpg

The reason these tests on rats are very controversial is because of how close they are to humans. Rats are considered one of the closest evolutionary animals to humans. This brings up the argument of why should we be allowed to harm these animals for the benefit of humans. This idea really stood out to me because it demonstrates how we should think about moral status of animals when it comes to biotech and bioart.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Rat-about-to-be-injected-Credit-Uncredited_fig2_220414706


Birke, Lynda. “Fig. 2 Rat about to Be Injected Credit: Uncredited .” ResearchGate, 18 Nov. 2020,

         https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Rat-about-to-be-injected-Credit-Uncredited_fig2_220414706.


Elsevier. “Creating Art with Genes and Bacteria.” Elsevier Connect, www.elsevier.com/connect/creating-art-with-genes-and-bacteria.


Ferris, Robert. “Scientists Have Now Bred Bunnies That Glow Green.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 14 Aug. 2013, www.businessinsider.com/scientists-grow-fluorescent-green-rabbits-2013-8


ProCon.org. “GMO Pros and Cons - Should Genetically Modified Organisms Be Grown?”

ProCon.org, 11 Feb. 2022, https://www.procon.org/headlines/gmos-top-3-pros-and-cons/.


Thompson, Paul. “Food and Agricultural Biotechnology: Incorporating Ethical Considerations.”  

Food and Agricultural Biotechnology: Incorporating Ethical Considerations, Oct. 2000,

https://www.iatp.org/sites/default/files/Food_and_Agricultural_Biotechnology_Incorporat.htm.



Comments

  1. JatanaFolstonDESMA9May 8, 2022 at 1:55 PM

    Hi James, I really enjoyed reading your blog post this week. I totally understand why testing on rats a re controversial due to how we as humans perceive them as a being with similar evolutionary features as well and should not be played with for experiments regardless of the benefits. Bio art and technology are controversial because of the lack of ethics used throughout. I would have to agree with you on everything you mentioned in the blog post. Thanks for sharing.

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