Islamic ethics and modern biotechnology
Contribution of modern biotechnology to the betterment of the agricultural sector and human health is undeniable. However, many consumers, environmental groups and some scientists have voiced strong concerns over the long term effects of modern biotechnology products on human health and environm...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2009
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/1201/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/1201/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/1201/1/SARI27%5B2%5D2009_%5B13%5D.pdf |
| Summary: | Contribution of modern biotechnology to the betterment of the agricultural
sector and human health is undeniable. However, many consumers,
environmental groups and some scientists have voiced strong concerns over
the long term effects of modern biotechnology products on human health and
environment. According to some researchers, the central problem underlying
biotechnology is not just its short term benefits and long term drawbacks, but
the overall attempt to “control” living nature on an erroneous mechanistic
view. We as human have conscience and our religious belief. Many religions
do not allow unrestricted interference with life such as genetic engineering.
The pace of discovery in genetic based biotechnology is very rapid and there is
anxiety that a kind of technological compulsion (if we can do it, let’s do it) will
drive development ahead of proper ethical consideration of their propriety. In
Islam, ethic is known as akhlaq based on al-Qur’an and al-Hadith. Ethic of
modern biotechnology is classified according to three part of akhlaq: ethical
issues related to God (Allah), ethic among human beings and ethic related to
living things. In this paper, ethical aspects of modern biotechnology will be
discussed from Islamic perspective |
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