Agro-Technology: A Philosophical Introduction

About this book

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 Agro-Technology: A Philosophical Introduction 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.

Contents

Introduction

1. Scientific background
2. Application of genetics in agriculture
3. Philosophical and conceptual background
4. The controversy: ideological and theological objections
5. The controversy: purported benefits
6. The controversy: purported harms
7. The organic alternative
8. Impact on low and middle income countries: poverty, farming and colonial legacies

Concluding remarks

Customer Reviews

Biography

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