The Iron Test-Tube: Is a Substantive Debate about Biotechnology Possible?
The Iron Test-Tube: Is a Substantive Debate about Biotechnology Possible?

Summary/Abstract: Biotechnological issues – especially those concerning genetic engineering – are one of the most pressing political challenges of the 21st century. We are deeply divided about how to make policy decisions in this field because of the disagreement in our philosophical and religious worldviews. This paper considers whether – and if so how – substantive debate in this area is possible. It will argue that despite differences in worldviews substantive claims have little hope of succeeding in today’s world, because of two countervailing impulses: the technocratic (the desire on the part of many scientists to have a free hand in their work) and the libertarian (that regulation be left to market forces). These impulses drive policy decisions regarding biotechnology to be based on purely formal rational calculations, on means rather than ends. However it will further be argued that although praxis must take a certain priority over theory – policy decisions regarding biotechnology need not await consensus on all sides regarding substantive claims – it is possible, and highly favorable, to escape the certain aspects of the narrowly rationalistic debate that currently prevails.

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