Ethics

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Ethics
The current world is seeking for solutions to its problems; this has increased research activities in clinical, biological, and medical fields. And many times, these research activities leave no room for ethical considerations, as human and animals rights are violated, and research ethics ignored. The humans in search of solutions justify their actions and the need for ethical persuasions and notions. Many companies today advocate for the notion that; ‘the end justifies the means,’ or the idea that sacrificing a few elements for the greater good of the planet is acceptable. Governments are giving certification to modification of natural plant and animal products, in the search for world solutions, such as genetic modified (GM) food products in the wake of global warming and increased human population. However, these technological advances took center stage at the expense of ethics in research. Yet, it is possible to conduct experiments while upholding standards in research and the set codes of conduct. The society, in general, should advocate for bioethics which draws the boundaries of what is considered ethical and what is not; for instance Crakes should not create the modified human beings, or animals with human mental capacities, these actions contravene with limits set for research work by society and all researchers should abide by during their research activities.
In the emerging and advanced technological world, ethics in scientific research is an area that the society is interested in and voicing its concerns on the methods and procedures adopted by researchers.

A lot of discussions and debates were triggered when corporates and the scientific world shared information on genetically engineered living cells of plants, animals, and human beings (Rigaud 1). The current world has raised issues with technologies such as cloning and GM products and the impact to our natural world order. Many people are shifting to become vegetarians because of the inhumane way animals are handled and the adoption of factory manufactured meats. Other people are only consuming organic foods that lack any chemicals in its composition, in an effort to eat and stay healthy.
Human beings in the past were manipulating plants and animals through selective breeding for survival. But in the past few decades, advanced technology has created genetically modified plants and animals used for research and biomedicine. These actions are ethically right, but with the increase in the human population and little amounts of food products, some people are raising questions on the possibility of the genetically modified plants and animals entering the agricultural production system and the food chain. Atwood (23) stated that “it was claimed that none of the defunct pigoons ended up as bacon and sausage; but within the OrganInc Farms staff café menu, bacon, ham sandwiches, and pork pies became noticeable common.” This reveals that there is a possibility of eating these genetically modified food products in our menus and it may result in far-reaching health implications on our human life.
Ethics is doing what is morally right, but disharmony is created between what humans ought to do and the reality of what transpires. There is a division that is created between science and society in biotechnology under the ethical lens. In the Oryx and Crake book, animals are implanted with chips to behave like humans i.e., the pigoons which are genetically modified pigs with human organs and brain tissue (Atwood 23). Ethically, this is a disturbing thought and one wonders, what was the essence of creating such modification since at the least it does not improve the well-being of either the pigs or the humans. Koch (12) stated that: ‘science and its knowledge base results in destruction rather than instructive; eugenics is in bad faith yet promoted as a high ideal.’
In the past, scientists observed living organisms in their natural setting as they sought for traditional natural medicines and healing techniques that could be applied to humans. The observation helped the scientists understand the active ingredient and the technique that worked, to duplicate the healing process on the humans. Bio-prospecting involves searching for genes, tissues, natural compounds and whole organisms in the wildlife for improvement of the welfare of human beings. These activities are all noble causes and needed to be applauded, but the ethical concerns arose when the pharmaceutical companies grew and the scientists increased in numbers all searching through the natural wildlife with little concern for the collateral damage to the ecosystems and the local communities residing in these locations (Rigaud 19-20). As the researchers explored the natural setting for living organisms, they destroyed the area leading to slavery, forced relocation of the original settlers of the land, and death of the locals if the experiments done released hazardous compounds.
Often the natural setting of living organisms is affected by research activities which are displayed in our current world through experiencing disease outbreaks and new types of diseases from the environment and the foods that we eat. Atwood (23 -24) states that; “the coastal aquifers turned salty, the northern permafrost melted, the tundra bubbled with methane, there was an extended drought in the mid-continental plains, and the Asian steppes tuned to sand dunes.” All these effects are a result of the research activities at the OrganInc Farms which solely created the Pigoon project (Atwood 22).
The environmentalists, the public, and the human rights activists have raised concerns about the benefits accrued from research experiments done in the natural settings of animal and human organisms. In the past, the pharmaceutical companies have gained in terms of producing compounds used for healing and sold across the world for millions of dollars and yet the local communities do not benefit at all from the elements found in their traditional home setting. Ethically, both the pharmaceutical companies and the local communities should benefit from any innovations.
The public has raised concerns about the welfare and dignity of animals used in scientific research experiments. The researchers must minimize the suffering and distress of these animals during all the experimental stages, secondly, the researchers should use as few animals as possible and if possible, they should avoid using animals in research and try to use any other product. Animals are higher in organism order and hence require better treatment. Animals must not suffer from thirst, hunger, pain, injury, diseases, and any sort of emotional imbalances caused by any research activities (Rigaud 23). In Jimmy / Snowman’s recollection, the animals burnt and he thought they would be hurt, but his father explains that the animals are already dead. From Jimmy’s father and his friend’s conversation, the animals were brought in for experimental purposes and those that failed were burnt up to end their lives (Atwood 22).
Ethics prevail when animals used in experimental research are protected against physical harm, mental manipulation, and physiological distress. The researchers must clearly state the definition of what an animal is and what is acceptable in animal usage in research activities. Animals used in research should be treated in a dignified and respectful manner, for the benefit of the animal and plant across the world.
Any research institution should allow its researchers freedom of movement and interaction. Ethically, the researchers are not to be confined to a singular place to live and work. In the book on Oryx and Crake, all the researchers are locked inside the compound where they work and live together with their families. They are not allowed any contact and interaction with the outside world. The gates are locked and a person must seek permission to move out of the world. Jimmy’s mother escapes and the CorpSeCorps men are left wondering how she left the compound. They question both Jimmy and his father. For her to leave the compound she must have her paperwork and clearances to pass through the checkpoints (Atwood 62). Every person has freedom and movement and researchers and scientists must enjoy such provisions. Jimmy’s father expressed the restrictions through the story where dukes and kings lived in well-guarded castles to keep their friends and themselves safe inside and keeping other people outside. He likened their lives in the compound as that of the kings and the dukes (Atwood 28).
The scientific community faces a big dilemma in the field of synthetic biology as philosophers, the public, and theologians question their morality in playing ‘god’ through artificial life (Dabrock 13). Religious groups are in conflict with science, questioning the differences between discovery and humans playing a God role. Similarly, Crakes created his own version of humans, naming them after himself ‘the crakers.’ They are vegetarians eating mostly grass, roots and leaves and they grow very fast, by age four they are already in their teenage hood and many other adjustments to their mental state (Atwood 158-160). Ethically and morally creation of humans is left to the Almighty being God and creation in totality is not the role of man.

Works Cited
Atwood, Margaret. Oryx and crake Anchor, 2004
Dabrock, Peter. “Playing God? Synthetic biology as a theological and ethical challenge.” Systems and synthetic biology 3.1-4 (2009): 47.
Koch, Tom. “Enhancing who? Enhancing what? Ethics, bioethics and transhumanism” Journal of medicine and Philosophy 35.6 (2010): 685-699.
Rigaud, Nicolas. “Biotechnology: Ethical and social debates,”  Paris OECD International Future Programmes. Diperoleh September 16 (2008): 2008.