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| Above is an image of a transgenic rats. Courtesy of: http://nprs.co.uk/ |
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| Eduardo Kac holding Alba. Courtesy of: http://www.ekac.org/ |
This ethical issue also applies to the fluorescent bunny, Alba, an albino bunny with genes from a fluorescent jellyfish. Since some of Alba's body parts are fluorescent, these can be observed without intrusive observations, which can later be translated to human applications (Kac). Eduardo Kac, the biological artist who created Alba, addressed these ethical concerns by describing Alba’s birth. Throughout the entire process, Kac carefully monitored the potential harm the fluorescent protein could cause, but discovered that it was harmless and won’t result in mutagenic effects. When Kac looked at Alba after her birth, he immediately felt an enormous sense of responsibility for her well-being like a member of his own family.
Another example of biotechnological art projects benefiting human health is the Revival Field, which addresses the environmental problem of metal pollution remaining in the soil (“Revival Field”). Genetically-created plants, called hyperaccumulators, pull metal from the soil and into the shoots, converting the plant into recycled ore upon burning (“Revival Field”). This biotechnological work of art renews ecology by cleansing soil and renewing life.
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| Stelarc displaying his third ear. Courtesy of: https://news.artnet.com/ |
I believe the benefits of these projects outweigh the ethical implications because they benefit human health as well as introduce a new meaning of beauty. The merging of art and science results in a broader understanding of the world around us, not allowing social constructions to stunt humanity’s growth.
- High, Kathy. "All About Transgenic Rats." Embracing Animal. Web. 13 May 2017. <http://www.embracinganimal.com/transrats.html>.
- Kac, Eduardo. "GFP Bunny." RABBIT REMIX. Kac Web, 2000. Web. 13 May 2017. <http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor>.
- "Revival Field." Mel Chin. Web. 13 May 2017. <http://melchin.org/oeuvre/revival-field>.
- uconlineprogram. “5 BioArt pt5” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 17 May 2012. Web. 13 May 2017.
I do agree with you that the intersection between biotechnology and art can benefit human health and introduce new meanings of beauty, but I think that when projects like this are being developed, we must take into consideration the ethical implications. I think it is important to consider questions like "Who is this benefiting?" as well as "Who is it harming?" If we take this technology too far and actively try to separate the ethical and emotional implications of this work, we could stray from what it means to be human, as I believe part of being human includes the emotional experiences we have.
ReplyDeleteMuch like Sarah, I'm all for technology in the name of helping save people. However, I disagree with what you said about Kathy High. I don't think that caring is nearly the same as being ethical. While she (or any other researcher) can feel nervous or sad while watching the rats, that doesn't change the fact that many experiments leave rats scared, in pain, or riddled with disease. I do think that sometimes, these consequences are worth saving people, but many of the art projects we looked at this week felt like just that -- art. I do really like what you said about expanding our definition of beauty though, as I do think this form of art really stretches what it means to be human and how we express ourselves.
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