Christopher Coenen

Synthetic Genomics and Synthetic Biology Applications Between Hopes and Concerns

New organisms and biological systems designed to satisfy human needs are among the aims of synthetic genomics and synthetic biology. Synthetic biology seeks to model and construct biological components, functions and organisms that do not exist in nature or to redesign existing biological systems to perform new functions. Synthetic genomics, on the other hand, encompasses technologies for the generation of chemically-synthesized whole genomes or larger parts of genomes, allowing to simultaneously engineer a myriad of changes to the genetic material of organisms. Engineering complex functions or new organisms in synthetic biology are thus progressively becoming dependent on and converging with synthetic genomics. While applications from both areas have been predicted to offer great benefits by making possible new drugs, renewable chemicals or clean energy, they have also given rise to concerns about new safety, environmental and socio-economic risks – stirring an increasingly polarizing debate. Here we intend to provide an overview on recent progress in biomedical and biotechnological applications of synthetic genomics and synthetic biology as well as on arguments and evidence related to their possible benefits, risks and governance implications.

Biocybernetic adaptation and privacy

Biocybernetic adaptation is a new approach to optimizing human–computer interfaces and human–computer interaction. Bio-signals and, more broadly, vital data of a person are collected and interpreted in real time by a computer in order to trigger its own adaptive processes. The collection of highly sensitive data is thus a necessary condition for the purpose of making the application more user-friendly. Therefore, the most obvious and important social, legal and ethical issues in this kind of application are privacy and data protection. In this research note we report from a technology assessment project for the European Parliament. We provide some conceptual distinctions, highlight the most promising application fields, and discuss privacy challenges and potential regulatory actions to be taken.

The Earth as Our Footstool: Visions of Human Enhancement in 19th and 20th Century Britain

Current visions of human enhancement are rooted in visions of the future that were developed in Great Britain in the late 19th century and in the first third of the 20th century by a number of leading scientists and science-savvy authors, such as John Desmond Bernal and Herbert George Wells. The visions are thereby rooted in a historical situation in Britain which was marked by a conflict between the defenders of Christianity, traditional society and its values on the one hand, and socialist or technocratic, post-Darwinian progressives on the other. The latter group developed a worldview with strong similarities to traditional religious worldviews, in particular with regard to their eschatological elements. This new worldview — which can be termed an ideology of extreme progress — has proved to be remarkably successful, above all in recent years, and is most often known today as ‘transhumanism’. It certainly serves different functions today than in the early 20th century, and its political context has changed significantly. However, the technoscientific imaginaries, which appear to be consistent, have remained more or less the same, with the exception of some updates regarding the relevant technologies and sciences. Visions of human enhancement are still a core element of this persistent ideology of extreme progress and perform an important function within it.

Synthetic biology’s multiple dimensions of benefits and risks: implications for governance and policies

Synthetic biology (SB) does not constitute a strictly defined field, but may be best described as an engineering approach aimed at redesigning or newly constructing biology-derived parts, systems, and entire organisms. This approach can integrate different disciplines (biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics) and ‘converging technologies’ (biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technology); and knowledge derived from systems biology, whole-genome engineering, pathway engineering, mathematical modeling and computer-aided design, as well as the notion of interchangeable ‘biological parts’, are often seen as hallmarks of the SB idea (Lorenzo and Danchin 2008; NBT 2009; Way et al. 2014).

Responsible research and innovation (RRI) in quantum technology

We are currently witnessing the emergence of a discourse on responsible research and innovation (RRI) in the field of quantum technology. Working on the assumption that the initial stage of discourse is of particular importance with regard to the ascription of meaning to an emerging field, our point of departure is a small corpus of prominent policy-oriented reports on quantum technology recently published in Europe. With a view to these publications, the article analyses various approaches to RRI and discusses lessons learned in nanotechnology discourse as these may impact on emerging discourse on quantum technology and its stance towards RRI. On the basis of our analyses, we outline a strategy for fostering RRI in this promising field of science and technology. We propose implementing a “strong” RRI approach which entails linking parliamentary or other core policy processes to stakeholder dialogues, decision-supporting public engagement and a wide variety of other public communication activities. At the same time, taking our cue from lessons learned in nanotechnology discourse, we argue that a strong RRI approach to quantum technology should be modest and focused in terms of thematic and societal scope.

Wider die Begrenzung der Enhancement-Debatte auf angewandte Ethik

Reflexionen zum Verhaltnis von Mensch und Technik durchziehen die Technikphilosophie und angrenzende Bereiche spatestens seit den grundlegenden Uberlegungen von Karl Marx (vgl. Quante 2013) und haben vor allem im deutschsprachigen Raum wesentliche Anregungen durch Arnold Gehlen (vgl. Gutmann 2013) und andere Vertreter der Philosophischen Anthropologie erhalten. Visionen einer Technisierung des Menschen, einer „Verwissenschaftlichung“ gesellschaftlicher Beziehungen und eines Verschmelzens von Mensch und Technik – die aktuell insbesondere aufgrund des sog. ‚Transhumanismus‘ und im Diskurs uber ‚Cyborgs‘ viel diskutiert werden – gewinnen im Verlauf des 20.

Biohacking: New Do-It-Yourself Practices as Technoscientific Work between Freedom and Necessity

If one contends that ‘hacking’ has become a crucial cultural practice in—and, to some extent, in opposition to—digital capitalism [1–4], one may argue that ‘biohacking’, i.e., the extension of this practice to medical and biotechnologies and the life sciences, would constitute a key driver of the informatisation of the realm of life, as driven by processes of technoscientific convergence in the information paradigm ([5], 72ff.).[...]

Denken in Alternativen

Es ist fur die Herausgeber der Buchreihe „Technikzukunfte, Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft“ und insbesondere fur den Verfasser dieses Nachworts eine Ehre und Freude, dass die Festschrift fur Richard Saage zu dessen 75. Geburtstag in ihr erscheint. Dies gilt umso mehr, als diese dem Thema Utopie gewidmet ist. Alle drei Reihenherausgeber, Armin Grunwald, Reinhard Heil und der Nachwortverfasser, sind in der stark interdisziplinaren sowie vorrangig anwendungs- und politikberatungsorientierten Technikfolgenabschatzung tatig.

Transhumanism: A progressive vision of the future or liberal capitalism's last ideological resort?

As an organised socio-cultural movement that is becoming ever more politically active, transhumanism is something of a new phenomenon.[...]

Facetten einer Leistungssteigerungsgesellschaft

Wer in den 1970er und fruhen 1980er Jahren in einer durch „1968“ stark gepragten westdeutschen Universitatsstadt vom Kind zum Jugendlichen heranwuchs, wird sich nicht nur an Vokabeln wie „Leistungsterror“‘ erinnern, sondern auch an Autoritatspersonen in Schulen und Vereinen, die uns Minderjahrigen ihre – wie wir dachten: ewig gestrigen – Vorstellungen von Leistungsbereitschaft und ‐fahigkeit einzutrichtern versuchten. Dabei waren sie mehr oder weniger erfolgreich.