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Society, Religion and Technology Project Church of Scotland Looking at the ethics of technology for a New Millennium

In September 1998 SRT's new book on the ethics of genetic engineerig and cloning "Engineering Genesis" will be published by the leading UK environmental publishers Earthscan. This book describes the results of SRT's 4 year working group on the subject, and is perhaps the widest study yet conducted on these vital questions.
Ordering Information
Preview of the Book and Reviewers' Comments

Between December 1993 and September 1997, the SRT Project ran a multi-disciplinary expert working group looking at the knotty questions in this rapidly growing field. It comprised senior scientists working in the field as well as ethics, theology and sociolgy specialists. This multi-disciplinary approach is central to SRT's work, seeking to engage those working in a particular field of technology with specialists in ethics, theology, sociology. In this way we have tried to take a balanced and well-informed view on the issues, and to take account of differing viewpoints, both strongly in favour of genetic engieering and those with considerable concerns.

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The members of the group and their areas of relevant expertise are :

• Dr Mike Appleby
  Senior lecturer, School of Agriculture, Edinburgh University
  - Research and development in farm animal behaviour.
• Professor David Atkinson,
  Deputy Principal, Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh
  - Particular interests in environmental technology and genetic engineering.
• Mrs Ann Bruce (rapporteur, researcher and co-editor)
  - Animal breeding industry.
• Dr Donald Bruce (chairman and co-editor)
  Director of the Society, Religion and Technology Project
  - Ethics of technology; risk; patenting; attitudes in the churches.
• Professor John Eldridge
  Professor of Sociology, Glasgow University
  - Industrial and media sociology; role of the scientist; expert information and the media.
• Rev. Dr Michael Northcott
  Senior lecturer, Christian Ethics and Practical Theology, Edinburgh University
  - Theological and environmental ethics.
• Professor Joyce Tait
  Visiting Professor, Research Centre for Social Sciences, Edinburgh University
  - Technology management; risk; public perceptions.
• Professor Ian Wilmut
  Roslin Institutue, Edinburgh
  - Mammalian embryology, cloning, animal genetics
• Professor Michael Wilson
  Deputy Director, Scottish Crop Breeding Institute, Invergowrie
  - Plant genetics and virology.
• Professor Peter Wilson
  General Secretary, Royal Society of Edinburgh
  - Emeritus Professor of Agriculture, Edinburgh University

Amongst the subjects we have covered are :

• Fundamental questions on the principle of genetic engineering
• Animal welfare
• The problem of balancing animal use with human benefit
• Transgenic food
• Environmental issues and risk
• The patenting of living organisms
• Third World implications
• The broader societal implications of genetic engineering

Two examples of our work

Xenotransplantation

Genetically Modified Food

Ordering Information : Where to Buy Engineering Genesis

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

This page has been produced by the Society Religion and Technology Project of the Church of Scotland. For more about our work on other issues, see our Other SRT Project pages, or our SRT Publications List.

We'd also welcome any comments you may have on the book. It is written to help you form your own evaluation on the subject. Any feedback you have would be of interest to us in the ongoing discussion of these complex and fascinating issues.
If you want to send us a comment or obtain further information or receive our latest Newsletter,

email us at :
mailto:srtp@srtp.org.uk

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