Title Agro-technology : a philosophical introduction / R. Paul Thompson

Published Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2011

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Description 1 online resource (xxiii, 233 pages) : illustrations Series Cambridge introductions to philosophy and biology Cambridge introductions to philosophy and biology. Contents Scientific background -- Application of genetics to agriculture -- Philosophical and conceptual background -- The controversy : ideological and theological objections -- The controversy : purported benefits -- The controversy : purported harms -- The organic alternative -- Impact on low and middle income countries : poverty, farming, and colonial legacies Summary "Humans have been modifying plants and animals for millennia. The dawn of molecular genetics, however, has kindled intense public scrutiny and controversy. Crops, and the food products which include them, have dominated molecular modification in agriculture. Organisations have made unsubstantiated claims and scare mongering is common. In this textbook Paul Thompson presents a clear account of the significant issues--identifying harms and benefits, analysing and managing risk--which lie beneath the cacophony of public controversy. His comprehensive analysis looks especially at genetically modified organisms, and includes an explanation of the scientific background, an analysis of ideological objections, a discussion of legal and ethical concerns, a suggested alternative--organic agriculture--and an examination of the controversy's impact on sub-Saharan African countries. His book will be of interest to students and other readers in philosophy, biology, biotechnology, and public policy"-- Provided by publisher "Although the current debate about agricultural biotechnology is often narrowly focused on molecular biotechnology (molecular genetic modification), the technological application of biology in agriculture predates the advent of molecular biology. For more than 10,000 years humans have been manipulating the traits of animals and plants (Mazoyer and Roundart, 2006; Thompson, 2009) by manipulating their genes and, thereby their genomes (the specific combination of genes in an organism's cells); the dog was likely the earliest animal to be domesticated (about 16,000 years ago). Early domestication of agricultural animals and plants was based entirely on crude experimentation (trial and error). Biological knowledge was elementary; humans learned early that offspring resemble parents, that selecting animals and plants with desirable traits and breeding them created a population of animals with those traits, and that occasionally a new trait seemed to appear"-- Provided by publisher Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index Notes English Print version record Subject Agricultural biotechnology -- Philosophy Genetic engineering -- Philosophy Agricultural biotechnology -- Moral and ethical aspects Genetic engineering -- Moral and ethical aspects Agricultural biotechnology -- Social aspects Genetic engineering -- Social aspects SCIENCE -- Philosophy & Social Aspects. TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING -- Agriculture -- Agronomy -- Crop Science. TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING -- Agriculture -- Agronomy -- General. Agricultural biotechnology -- Moral and ethical aspects Agricultural biotechnology -- Social aspects Genetic engineering -- Moral and ethical aspects Genetic engineering -- Philosophy Genetic engineering -- Social aspects Bioethik Biophilosophie Biotechnologie Landwirtschaft Form Electronic book ISBN 9781139127578 1139127578 9781139116916 1139116916 9780511977541 0511977549 9780521133753 0521133750 9786613298409 6613298409 1283298406 9781283298407 9781139114745 0521117976 9780521117975 1139114743 9781139114745 1139124366 9781139124362 1107222729 9781107222724 1139122657 9781139122658 1139112554 9781139112550

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