Skip to main content

Biotechnology and Social Perception

  • Chapter
Science, Politics and Morality

Part of the book series: Theory and Decision Library ((TDLA,volume 17))

Abstract

Everybody knows the fairy-tale “Beauty and the Beast” of the innocent maiden and the ugly and horrible beast which turned out to be something honest and trustworthy after being treated with goodwill and trust rather than with fear and repulsion. Intuitively one may think that this is a somewhat optimistic but nevertheless appropriate metaphor to describe the complex and tense relation between the public and biotechnology. But, unfortunately, there is no evidence for who is the beauty and who the beast. Is it the innocent and trusting public which is confronted with a pullulating science threatening human life, the environment and the integrity of God’s creation? Or is it a pure and beneficial science promising progress in nearly all human problems which is rejected by an ignorant and distrustful public?

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Press release 18. April 1991, by SAGB (Senior Advisory Group on Biotechnology), CEFIC (European Chemical Industry Federation)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Mark F. Cantley, “Democracy and Biotechnology”, Swiss Biotech 5 (1987) Nr. 5, p. 5–15

    Google Scholar 

  3. Royal Society Working Group, under the chairmanship of Bodmer, Walter. The public understanding of science, The Royal Society, London, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  4. Jon D. Miller, “Empirical Comparisons of Public Understanding of Science in Japan and the United States”, Public Opinion Laboratory, presented to the 1991 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  5. O. Diettrich, Kognitive, organische und Gesellschaftliche Evolution, Parey, Berlin und Hamburg, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  6. O. Diettrich, “Realität, Anpassung und Evolution”, Philosophia Naturalis, 1991, II, p. 147

    Google Scholar 

  7. Dorothy Nelkin, “Science in the public eye”, a review of “Making Science Our Own” by Marcel C. La-Folette, Nature, Volume 348, p. 121, 8 November 1990

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Brian Wynne, letter to the CEC, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  9. Eurobarometer 35.1 “Biotechnology” for the Commission of the European Communities, DG XII, “CUBE”-Biotechnology Unit, by INRA (EUROPE), Euro¬pean Coordination of fice SA/NV, June 1991

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Diettrich, O. (1993). Biotechnology and Social Perception. In: Von Schomberg, R. (eds) Science, Politics and Morality. Theory and Decision Library, vol 17. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8143-1_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8143-1_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4211-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-015-8143-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics