Agro-Technology: A Philosophical Introduction

by R. Paul Thompson

• ISBN13: 9780521133753
• ISBN10: 0521133750
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-08-15
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Humans have been modifying plants and animals for millennia. The dawn of molecular genetics, however, has kindled intense public scrutiny and controversy. Crops, and the food products which include them, have dominated molecular modification in agriculture. Organisations have made unsubstantiated claims and scare mongering is common. In this textbook Paul Thompson presents a clear account of the significant issues identifying harms and benefits, analysing and managing risk which lie beneath the cacophony of public controversy. His comprehensive analysis looks especially at genetically modified organisms, and includes an explanation of the scientific background, an analysis of ideological objections, a discussion of legal and ethical concerns, a suggested alternative organic agriculture and an examination of the controversy's impact on sub-Saharan African countries. His book will be of interest to students and other readers in philosophy, biology, biotechnology and public policy.

Author Biography

R. Paul Thompson is Professor at the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, at the University of Toronto.

Table of Contents

List of figures	p. ix
List of tables	p. x
Preface	p. xi
Introduction	p. xiv
Scientific background	p. 1
Population genetics	p. 1
Quantitative genetics	p. 10
Hybridisation	p. 12
Molecular genetics	p. 17
Application of genetics to agriculture	p. 22
Genetic modification of plants and animals: techniques	p. 22
Agricultural biotechnology: current products and future prospects	p. 27
Philosophical and conceptual background	p. 33
A primer of logic, reasoning and evidence	p. 35
Relevant ethical theories	p. 51
Harm and risk analysis	p. 78
The precautionary principle	p. 92
The controversy: ideological and theological objections	p. 101
Advocacy and NGOs	p. 101
Interfering with life	p. 109
Patenting life	p. 121
The controversy: purported benefits	p. 137
Environmental benefits	p. 137
Yield and food security benefits	p. 141
Health benefits	p. 146
The controversy: purported harms	p. 152
Economic and corporate harms	p. 153
Environmental harms	p. 157
Health harms	p. 174
The organic alternative	p. 178
The environment: conventional, organic and GM agriculture	p. 181
Health: evidential lacunae	p. 185
The problem of yields	p. 192
GM and organic: the false dichotomy	p. 194
Impact on low- and middle-income countries: poverty, farming and colonial legacies	p. 199
Concluding remarks	p. 214
Bibliography	p. 216
Index	p. 228
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