Philosophical Thinking On The Relationship Between Human Beings And Evolution

The birth of the first artificial life (named Synthia) in the world means the advent of an age for synthetic life, and synthetic biology as its sciential and technical support is given serious attention increasingly. Synthetic biology brings much prospect to human beings:seeing from basic science, to design and construct biological systems not found in nature, scientists not only can understand the nature of life in a deeper way but also can explore important scientific questions such as the origins and evolution of life. Viewed from applied science, the research achievement of synthetic biology possesses very important application value in bio-medicine, bio-energy, chemical products, environmental protection, and biomaterial and so on, and it also can promote the sustainable development of the whole society. However, synthetic biology is also a double-edge sword, which can bring a promising future to man and meanwhile sow many negative effects in our promising land quietly. As time goes on, these negative effects will take root, burgeon and blossom with destructive effect. Some work has been done by some domestic and international scholars concerning to the potential hazard of synthetic biology, and the result is that there surely are risks in ethical, safe, and social perspectives. But I think it is not enough to analyse the effect which synthetic biology brings to human beings only from ethical, safe, and social perspectives. Firstly, the research and application of synthetic biology nearly contains every field of human society, so we need a more comprehensive and integrated angle for analyzing when we discuss the effect of synthetic biology; Secondly, the effect which synthetic biology brings to man not only referring to spatial dimension but also time dimension, and the effect will be profound and lasting, thus, we need to consider the function of time here.In order to address the shortcomings and defect, this paper try to come up with a creative analytical perspective——evolutionary perspective. Starting from the relationship between man and evolution, we can understand the effect which synthetic biology brings to society and future in a better way.Then we raise the conception of the agent of evolution based on the evolutionary perspective, and pointing that gradually human beings become the agent of evolution to some extent after they master tools of science and technology. Synthetic biology is another brave attempt when man as the agent of evolution. In theory, the process of man as the agent of evolution is actually a process which man reconstructs the relationship between evolution and him. Hence, the effect which synthetic biology brings to human society can be translated into the challenge and hope man must face when they try to reconstruct the relationship between mankind and evolution. In such an analytical framework, we can extend to the philosophical reflection on the relationship between mankind and evolution and some enlightenment we may obtained, and it also can afford answers to the future development for synthetic biology.This paper analyses the challenge and hope which man experiences when man take synthetic as a tool to reconstruct the relationship between man and evolution based on evolutionary perspective, and then discusses some philosophical problems in the relationship between man and evolution, and finally draws several inspirations from it.Firstly, man is a product of evolution. However, with the development of science and technology, man sees to become the agent of evolution gradually. They try to change evolution and control evolution. But at last the evolution will act on human society in turn.Secondly, so called evolutionary perspective, is to attach great importance to time factor and development history; and it admits that evolution is the foundation for man’s living and development, also it possesses ethical concern, and last it is also a perspective of responsibility and development.Thirdly, synthetic biology is another attempt when man as the agent of evolution. Though it brings intellectual, ethical and social challenge to human beings, and meanwhile, it may help man to find a better way for human evolution.Firth, under the desire of disturbing and controlling evolution, it is necessary to rethink the philosophical problems on the relationship between man and evolution. This paper will analyse the problem from three aspects:ontology, epistemology and methodology.(1) On the ontological thinking of the relationship between man and evolution, the paper compares the aim of nature with anthropocentrism first, and considers that there are sharp conflicts between the anthropocentrism and the aim of nature. Though there is diversion to anti-anthropocentrism, the diversion doesn’t have practical guiding significance. Secondly, the paper believes that modern biotechnology has destroyed the biological stability of organisms, and which will plant the seeds of disaster for future heredity and evolution. And last, the paper points that man as the agent of evolution tries to control evolution is unreasonable and unjustifiable.(2)On the epistemological thinking of the relationship beween man and evolution, the paper divides man’s understanding of evolution to three phases: knowing-nothing practice, knowing-some practice, and practice without knowing results. We believe that we are in the stage of "practice without knowing results", and this kind of behavior is similar to trial and error. However, in the process of evolution, it is not allowed.(3)On the methodological thinking of the relationship between man and evolution, the paper discusses the nature and the value of technology which has reconstructed the relationship between man and evolution. Actually, the nature of technology in that context is challenge. It challenges the nature and the evolution, and will guide all the things to a unnatural condition which was built by technology. In regard to the value of technology, we think that in the evolution stage which man makes use of technology to rebuild nature, the given value is good. But it will bring a series of bad consequences inevitably. And last, from an evolution perspective, the paper suggests that man should take responsibilities in dealing with the relationship between man and evolution. These responsibilities should contain:the care to the nature and earth, the attention to the nature of human and the biological ontology, the regard to the quality of life, and the consideration to the results of future evolution.