Each person has their own understanding and idea of ethics. We live our lives based on actions that we classify as being either right or wrong, which typically stem from our childhood and the culture we were raised in. Formally, ethics are described as moral rules or standards that govern the way a person conducts his or her behavior or actions, a concept that has been in existence for as long as anybody can quantify. Although the specifics of ethical ideas are personalized to any given individual, they are generally based around a similar set of principles. If asked, most people who follow the ethical norm, especially in western civilization, would be honest in saying that they understand that it is wrong to murder and cheat other people. It is these guidelines and adapted beliefs that prevent society from devolving into complete chaos and anarchy.
Ethics continuously evolve to be more applicable to the different eras of the world. Several thousand years ago, it was appropriate to allow gladiators to fight and kill each other in an arena in order to entertain spectators. About two hundred years ago, it was permitted and even respected to own another human being during the prevalence of slavery. As we retrospectively look in horror at these highlighted times in history (only two of many) we can more apparently see that what the people viewed as “right” had significant variation when compared to what we view now in most places. Several things have shaped our current views of ethics but one of the most common things that has dictated people’s ethics is religion.
Religion has many variations and requirements but for the most part, those who have followed a religion tend to strive to be better and do good things in order to earn a spot in some “better place” such as heaven. With its widespread popularity, overtime the ethics that support religion have resulted in the development of laws and regulations which have further embedded these ideas in a more modern fashion. As of today, as children are raised in society following all of the laws that tell them not to steal or tell them not to lie, they embed these ideas into their personality and include them in their own ethical code. As with all things though, ethical code varies in all cultures and in different parts of the world, making it impossible to adequately qualify to a universal standard.
It is important to have ethics because they give us the ability to choose in any presented situation and making good ethical decisions can have a largely positive impact on individuals around us as well as society as a whole. Ethics facilitate us making choices and following through with actions that allow us to achieve desirable goals. Without ethics, we would act aimlessly and without purpose because nothing would be particularly important to each individual so we would not want to work to accomplish anything. Ethics are also crucial to the world because they grant people the ability to trust others.
For example, if one was in a public place and asked someone to watch their belongings until they returned, there would be no promise that the belongings would remain without being stolen. This trust, which is largely secondary to ethics, is applicable in many different aspects of society. It is crucial that we have ethics and continue to have them because it gives individuals the ability to trust their friends, family, government, medical professionals, and even scientists in the field of biotechnology.
The application of ethics in biotechnology is very relevant with the modern advances being made in science today. As new services and products are being released to the public, the people that are uneducated in the field of science have to be able to trust those that developed them. An example of this would be the release of a medication that could cure cancer. The people taking the drug would expect that its developers, as well as those who conducted the clinical trials, would follow the appropriate standards so that the drug may be legitimately released. In a situation like this one, if the developers are unethical, they could lie about the effects as well as the side effects of the drug in order to expedite its release so they can start making money.
Another upcoming idea where bioethics are crucial would be with the advancements in genetic editing. It is a controversial issue as to whether genetic editing is appropriate as some people think that it is a process that defies nature and therefore should not be allowed while others think that the benefits outweigh the negatives. With all bioethical issues as with this one, it is crucial that facts are presented to support the choices that are being made. There are many more considerations in the field of biotechnology to think about as the areas aren’t fully understood and there are many more harmful effects that could result to both humans and animals in testing if the wrong choices are made.
People need to educate themselves and conduct extensive research on new scientific advances so that they can form their ethical code on issues based on a knowledgeable opinion. Biotechnology is meant to improve all different aspects of humanity and if the researchers that are providing the technology aren’t ethical, it could be detrimental to the lives of many people, therefore, it is important to have good ethics so that it can spread to the general community as well as the scientific community.
