Craig Hanks

Genetic Technologies and Women: The Importance of Context Inmaculada de Melo-Martín St. Mary’s University

Bioethicists, like many other academics, have a tendency to try to make things general and simpler by eliminating context. Particulars, such as race, economic class, and gender, often seem to be lost in this ocean of generality and abstraction. But in losing them, we are neglecting the analysis of serious moral problems and, with it, the possibility of offering some kind of solution to such problems. This article argues that particulars do matter very much. We will focus ourattention here on gender. We will argue that ignoring questions of gender when evaluating genetic technologies is seriously problematic because it might lead to further injustices against women. Proceeding with a noncontextual understanding of genetic technologies will likely disregard the unjust ways in which the health care system treats women, as well as the ways in which genetic technologies impose extra burdens on them.

Nanotechnology Safety Education

The topic of nanotechnology safety has been the subject of many discussions. Starting in 2006, a focus was started at Texas State University to develop an educational process to train workers and students in the elements of nanotechnology safety. The progress was slow and had many setbacks, which took 8 years to overcome. This chapter presents the path to the creation of and details about the two courses in nanotechnology safety education and the coming nanotechnology safety certification.