is crop biotechnology blasphemous?
When you start playing around with genes, you're playing God. I don't think we have enough experience to play God. We need a little humility. It seems to be in short supply these days - D Bower, Friends of the Earth, 1987
Genetic engineering is dealing with physical processes which are part of that divine providence and have a place in God's future for the universe - I H Jones, Theology and genetics, 1991
is crop biotechnology unnatural?
To change that which is natural is to alter the harmony within living beings and the harmony in their relationship with the external environment - M Fox, Transgenic animals: ethical and welfare concerns, 1990
The release of organisms into the environment is a natural process which is increased by human activities - J E Berringer, The release of genetically engineered plants and micro-organisms, 1988
is crop biotechnology disrespectful?
What has happened to a society that accepts the transfer of genes between species, claims to be able to control the shape of nature and allows the control of this shaping to be placed in private hands through patenting? - S Mayer, Greenpeace, 1994
Genetic engineering is an area of research of immense complexity and astonishing simplicity, which occasions amazement and its own kind of reverence - I H Jones, Theology and genetics, 1991
is crop biotechnology unfair?
Technological advance puts farmers on a treadmill - W W Cochrane, The city man's guide to the farm problem, 1965
Every technological revolution brings about social changes with problems which governments have to face and to which societies must adapt. It is not the technology itself which can solve the problems. Nor is their existence an argument for stopping the clock or for trying to stop it in our very privileged area of the world - D Taverne, The case for biotechnology, 1990
how to weigh the costs and the benefits
Whether the beneficiaries are identified as white males, developed countries, or multinational corporations, winnings from the game are not likely to be distributed fairly, to serve the needs of the disadvantaged, nor to help us fit ourselves better into nature -
G Cornstock, Genetically engineered herbicide resistance, 1990
I see no way the Africans are going to be able to feed themselves, unless they have the technologies that fit their conditions. We believe that through biotechnology it will be possible to develop plants that would tolerate those conditions - N Brady, The science of biotechnology, 1986
l Quotes used are to be found
in Ethics, Morality and Crop Biotechnology, a booklet sponsored by the Biotechnology and biological Sciences Research Council
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article