Biotechnology and the Future of Society
Biotechnology and the Future of Society

Author: The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research

Publisher: Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research

Published: 2004-10-20

Total Pages: 37

ISBN-13:

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Breakthroughs in biotechnology are redefining the very concept of life, transforming society and presenting unprecedented opportunities and challenges: Will human genome sequencing help to treat genetic diseases and indefinitely prolong life? Will stem cell therapy and tissue engineering allow routine regeneration and replacement of diseased organs? Can new diagnostic tests revolutionize medicine and healthcare? Will genetic engineering allow parents to design perfect babies? Can nature’s workshop inspire superior biomaterials that transform industries? Will genetically modified super crops feed a hungry world? With biotechnology set to be the driving force of the twenty-first century, mastery of the life sciences will be the key to wealth generation and economic ascendancy. Can the Arab World regain its past supremacy in these fields? Can it benefit from the biotech revolution while avoiding its perils? Such implications were debated by experts at the ECSSR Eighth Annual Conference titled Biotechnology and the Future of Society: Challenges and Opportunities, held from January 11-13, 2003 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This volume of conference presentations explores the broad impact of the biotech revolution, highlighting trends in healthcare and molecular medicine, the genetic revolution in agriculture, the future of materials production, new drug discovery technologies and national security issues, including the threat of bio-terrorism. It also examines the complex ethical, legal and social issues raised by the biotech revolution that need to be resolved by governments and decision makers.

Our Posthuman Future
Our Posthuman Future

Author: Francis Fukuyama

Publisher: Profile Books

Published: 2017-06-15

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 1847653707

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Is a baby whose personality has been chosen from a gene supermarket still a human? If we choose what we create what happens to morality? Is this the end of human nature? The dramatic advances in DNA technology over the last few years are the stuff of science fiction. It is now not only possible to clone human beings it is happening. For the first time since the creation of the earth four billion years ago, or the emergence of mankind 10 million years ago, people will be able to choose their children's' sex, height, colour, personality traits and intelligence. It will even be possible to create 'superhumans' by mixing human genes with those of other animals for extra strength or longevity. But is this desirable? What are the moral and political consequences? Will it mean anything to talk about 'human nature' any more? Is this the end of human beings? Our Posthuman Future is a passionate analysis of the greatest political and moral problem ever to face the human race.

Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology
Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2017-07-28

Total Pages: 231

ISBN-13: 0309452058

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Between 1973 and 2016, the ways to manipulate DNA to endow new characteristics in an organism (that is, biotechnology) have advanced, enabling the development of products that were not previously possible. What will the likely future products of biotechnology be over the next 5â€"10 years? What scientific capabilities, tools, and/or expertise may be needed by the regulatory agencies to ensure they make efficient and sound evaluations of the likely future products of biotechnology? Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology analyzes the future landscape of biotechnology products and seeks to inform forthcoming policy making. This report identifies potential new risks and frameworks for risk assessment and areas in which the risks or lack of risks relating to the products of biotechnology are well understood.

Science and Technology in Society
Science and Technology in Society

Author: Daniel Lee Kleiman

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2009-02-09

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1405148195

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This thoughtful and engaging text challenges the widely held notion of science as somehow outside of society, and the idea that technology proceeds automatically down a singular and inevitable path. Through specific case studies involving contemporary debates, this book shows that science and technology are fundamentally part of society and are shaped by it. Draws on concepts from political sociology, organizational analysis, and contemporary social theory. Avoids dense theoretical debate. Includes case studies and concluding chapter summaries for students and scholars.

Biotechnology
Biotechnology

Author: Sean D. Sutton

Publisher: State University of New York Press

Published: 2009-07-02

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 1438426607

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Considers the ethics and challenges of biotechnology.

Emerging Consequences of Biotechnology
Emerging Consequences of Biotechnology

Author: Krishna R. Dronamraju

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 485

ISBN-13: 9812775013

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The principal message of this book is that thermodynamics and statistical mechanics will benefit from replacing the unfortunate, misleading and mysterious term "entropy" with a more familiar, meaningful and appropriate term such as information, missing information or uncertainty. This replacement would facilitate the interpretation of the "driving force" of many processes in terms of informational changes and dispel the mystery that has always enshrouded entropy. It has been 140 years since Clausius coined the term "entropy"; almost 50 years since Shannon developed the mathematical theory of "information"--Subsequently renamed "entropy." In this book, the author advocates replacing "entropy" by "information," a term that has become widely used in many branches of science. The author also takes a new and bold approach to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Information is used not only as a tool for predicting distributions but as the fundamental cornerstone concept of thermodynamics, held until now by the term "entropy." The topics covered include the fundamentals of probability and information theory; the general concept of information as well as the particular concept of information as applied in thermodynamics; the re-derivation of the Sackur-Tetrode equation for the entropy of an ideal gas from purely informational arguments; the fundamental formalism of statistical mechanics; and many examples of simple processes the "driving force" for which is analyzed in terms of information.

Biotechnology and the Human Good
Biotechnology and the Human Good

Author: C. Ben Mitchell

Publisher: Georgetown University Press

Published: 2007-04-23

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 9781589012769

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Some of humankind's greatest tools have been forged in the research laboratory. Who could argue that medical advances like antibiotics, blood transfusions, and pacemakers have not improved the quality of people's lives? But with each new technological breakthrough there comes an array of consequences, at once predicted and unpredictable, beneficial and hazardous. Outcry over recent developments in the reproductive and genetic sciences has revealed deep fissures in society's perception of biotechnical progress. Many are concerned that reckless technological development, driven by consumerist impulses and greedy entrepreneurialism, has the potential to radically shift the human condition—and not for the greater good. Biotechnology and the Human Good builds a case for a stewardship deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian theism to responsibly interpret and assess new technologies in a way that answers this concern. The authors jointly recognize humans not as autonomous beings but as ones accountable to each other, to the world they live in, and to God. They argue that to question and critique how fields like cybernetics, nanotechnology, and genetics might affect our future is not anti-science, anti-industry, or anti-progress, but rather a way to promote human flourishing, common sense, and good stewardship. A synthetic work drawing on the thought of a physician, ethicists, and a theologian, Biotechnology and the Human Good reminds us that although technology is a powerful and often awe-inspiring tool, it is what lies in the heart and soul of who wields this tool that truly makes the difference in our world.

Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development

Author: Toby Freedman

Publisher: CSHL Press

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 408

ISBN-13: 0879697253

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An essential guide for students in the life sciences, established researchers, and career counselors, this resource features discussions of job security, future trends, and potential career paths. Even those already working in the industry will find helpful information on how to take advantage of opportunities within their own companies and elsewhere.

Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2001-07-11

Total Pages: 118

ISBN-13: 0309075556

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This report surveys opportunities for future Army applications in biotechnology, including sensors, electronics and computers, materials, logistics, and medical therapeutics, by matching commercial trends and developments with enduring Army requirements. Several biotechnology areas are identified as important for the Army to exploit, either by direct funding of research or by indirect influence of commercial sources, to achieve significant gains in combat effectiveness before 2025.

The Biotech Century
The Biotech Century

Author: Jeremy Rifkin

Publisher: TarcherPerigee

Published: 1999-04-05

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13:

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Explores current developments in the fields of biochips, cloning, and genetic mapping.