Scientific knowledge is an enabling power to do either good or
bad - but it does not carry instructions on how to use it. -
Richard Feynman Bioethics is the study of ethical questions and
problems within the field of biology. Bioethical questions may
concern the entire planet(What amount of change to the biosphere
of the Earth is morally acceptable?), or could be on a deeply
personal level, such as the selection of certain genetic traits
for a future child. For the purposes of this course, we'll go
even smaller, all the way down to microbes, and the ethics of
using synthetic biology to modify and improve microbes in the
service of humanity. Of course, the products of synthetic
biology do not exist within perfectly impermeable bubbles, so
the net impact of synthetic biology must be considered. The
Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues
(PCSBI) published a report in December 2010 regarding the
ethical ramifications of synthetic biology. This report was
requested by U.S. president Barack Obam