Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Ethical and Philosophical Consideration of the Dual-Use Dilemma in the Biological Sciences

Ethical and Philosophical Consideration of the Dual-Use Dilemma in the Biological Sciences

Selgelid, Michael J.
Miller, Seumas

Paperback

PhilosophyMedical ReferenceGeneral Sociology

ISBN10: 1402083114
ISBN13: 9781402083112
Publisher: Springer Nature
Published: Jul 21 2008
Pages: 76
Weight: 0.29
Height: 0.17 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
What Is the Dual-Use Dilemma? The so-called dual-use dilemma arises in the context of research in the biological and other sciences as a consequence of the fact that one and the same piece of sci- tific research sometimes has the potential to be used for harm as well as for good. A dual-use dilemma is an ethical dilemma, and an ethical dilemma for the researcher (and for those who have the power or authority to assist or impede the researcher's work, e. g., governments). It is an ethical dilemma since it is about promoting good in the context of the potential for also causing harm, e. g., the p- motion of health in the context of providing the wherewithal for the killing of in- cents. It is an ethical dilemma for the researcher not because he or she is aiming at anything other than a good outcome; typically, the researcher intends no harm, but only good. Rather, the dilemma arises for the researcher because of the potential actions of others. Malevolent non-researchers might steal dangerous biological agents produced by the researcher; alternatively, other researchers--or at least their governments or leadership--might use the results of the original researcher's work for malevolent purposes. The malevolent purposes in question include bioterrorism, biowarfare and blackmail for financial gain.

Also in

Philosophy

View All