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Engineering Genesis Lecture - Genetic Engineering: Dream or Nightmare? |
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| An audio recording of one of a series of lectures delivered in the Centre for Human Ecology Public Lecture Series, exploring the ethical and social issues raised by genetic engineering and biotechnology. Dr Mae Wan Ho, Reader in Biology at the Open University argues that “genetic determinism” is misguiding gene technology and selling it to the public as the solution to all our ills. The speaker claims that Universities and government regulators have become instruments of big multi-national corporations and describes: “a discredited science, working in partnership with unaccountable corporate monopolies, misguiding a hit or miss technology which has the potential to destroy all life on earth”. She had just returned from India, where she had met some very angry farmers who feel their livelihoods are being threatened. She claims Monsanto bought a local seed company and started seed trials without the knowledge of the regional authorities. What incensed the farmers was the threat of a seed monopoly: “The seed is the germ of life. It is the regenerative capacity and fruitfulness of life and is the bounty of nature which has been freely available since time immemorial.” Indian farmers had been successfully improving their livelihoods, health and nutrition using traditional techniques, so they asked why did they want these patented seeds? Dr Mae Wan Ho describes the techniques used in genetic modification in some detail and outlines the potential risks of undesirable and unpredictable outcomes. There are OHP slides referred to in her presentation, but this does not detract from the talk. The 50-minute lecture is followed by 35 minutes of questions from her knowledgeable audience, many concerning the role of science in a world dominated by multinational industries. She remembers one piece of advice from a fellow academic in the field: “Especially, do not believe EXPERTS”. This audop recording lasts 1 hour 28 minutes and 32 seconds. |
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| Creators: |
Speaker - Ho, Dr Mae Wan
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Subject: |
Agriculture, Environment
Science
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| Contributors: |
The Centre for Human Ecology - Copyright Holder
Jewel and Esk Valley College - Copyright Holder
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Date created:
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01 / 01 / 1999
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Language:
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English
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Country:
Region:
City:
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United Kingdom
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Rights:
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Community Media Association has non exclusive rights for the use of the work in The Showcase, but the overall copyright rests with the Centre for Human Ecology. Copyright the Centre for Human Ecology.
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If your browser can’t display the graphical link above to the translator, you may translate this page by going to the Babelfish website and pasting the address for this page into the box marked “Translate a web page”. |
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