Analysis On The Ethics Of Synthetic Biology From The Perspective Of Engineers

Synthetic biology is a new interdisciplinary discipline based on traditional genetic engineering and metabolic engineering,and integrates research methods from various disciplines such as engineering,chemistry,and systems biology.Synthetic biology aims to apply "engineering" design philosophy to the biology,using standardized biological components and genetic circuit to modify or reconstruct biological systems with specific functions,guided by rational design principles.Since its emergence,synthetic biology has gain many breakthrough in the fields of energy,medicine,environment,and food,with a broad application prospects.The development of synthetic biology is also inevitably generate technological risks.Scholars have discussed the risks and ethical issues with a view to regulating the development path of synthetic biology and improving the governance framework.Based on the background,the article defines engineers as the group directly responsible for ethical issues in synthetic biology,focuses on the impact of engineers on technology,and discusses the ethical issues of synthetic biology from the perspective of engineers.The article firstly outlines the origin and development of synthetic biology and its outstanding achievements in various fields,explains the "engineering"characteristics of synthetic biology,and on this basis defines the duties and definitions of engineers in synthetic biology,and attributes the factors that engineers influence the development of synthetic biology to the moral values of engineers.Secondly,to analyze the ethical issues that arise when engineers operate and apply synthetic biology,with different technical risks and ethical issues at the steps of design,assembly,construction and application.Third,the causes of ethical problems are discussed from the perspective of engineers.The lack of professional literacy of engineers generates gaps in professional cognition,which leads to technical risks caused by operational errors;the limitations of moral cognition make dual-use technologies face anti-value dilemmas;the scientific and commercial roles played by engineers in society also generate ethical problems in synthetic biology.Finally,in order to enrich the research and governance of synthetic biology ethical issues,corresponding governance measures are proposed to address the lack of professionalism of engineers,the limitation of moral cognition and the interests above the commercial role.