Week 6: BioTech + Art

In society, it seems that we value “artistic” things as those related to the natural arts like drawing, singing, and

acting. However, just as we talked about in the first week of lecture, the bridge between science and art can be

linked to a third culture if we stop portraying art and science as two different things. In biotechnology for

example, by seeing the videos about the rats and animal testing, how much different is a scientist than an artist?

An artist modifies their work to create it to their sense of what they deem beautiful. A scientist in biotechnology

modifies genetics to fit what they deem beauty. Beauty, is in the eye of the beholder in the case of art and in

biotechnology, beauty can mean a range of things: physical beauty, beauty in the way it could help technology,

or beauty in the way it will help mankind. 

I believe there should be more restriction for scientists in biotechnology than students in the academia world.

Similar to the morals displayed in the movie in movies, especially in the newest Jurassic Park, Jurassic World,

“playing God” by being the overall creator and artist of a living organism is in my opinion, too much

responsibility. Other things like stem cell research that can be used to help people and simply help a person

rather than recreate them, I think can be explored more in depth and have less restrictions. One thing I am

completely against is genetically modifying food. We have too much wealth in this world to not

have enough supply. 

Last but not least, what intrigues me is after watching these weeks lecture and resources is pondering if human

creativity should be limited. I think enviably, we progress as a human society with the improvement of ideas and

technology. It is the ideas that lead to the technology evolution. However, I think by being a society rooted in

ethics relating to that of the Bible, creativity in regards to human life will always come with a limit. This limit is not

a bad thing whatsoever and I think, similar to learning about the Hippocratic Oath, it’s always good to have an

ethical standard to live up to. 

Word Count: 369

Works Cited: 

"Genetic Modification." Genetic Modification. Web. 11 May 2015.

Munger, Dave. "Seed Magazineabout." Agriculture in the Wild § SEEDMAGAZINE.COM. 10 Nov. 2010. Web. 11 May 2015.

Resnik, David. "National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences." What Is Ethics in Research & Why Is It Important? NIH, 1 May 2011. Web. 11 May 2015.

Schuler, Barry. "Genomics 101." TED-Ed. TED. Web. 11 May 2015.

Vesna, Professor Victoria. "5 BioArt Pt3." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 11 May 2015.