Synthetic Biology between Self-Regulation and Public Discourse: Ethical Issues and the Many Roles of the Ethicist

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
GARDAR ARNASON
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Moral Judgments ◽  
The Public ◽  
Biology I ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
The Many

Abstract:This article discusses the roles of ethicists in the governance of synthetic biology. I am particularly concerned with the idea of self-regulation of bioscience and its relationship to public discourse about ethical issues in bioscience. I will look at the role of philosophical ethicists at different levels and loci, from the “embedded ethicist” in the laboratory or research project, to ethicists’ impact on policy and public discourse. In a democratic society, the development of governance frameworks for emerging technologies, such as synthetic biology, needs to be guided by a well-informed public discourse. In the case of synthetic biology, the public discourse has to go further than merely considering technical issues of biosafety and biosecurity, or risk management, to consider more philosophical issues concerning the meaning and value of “life” between the natural and the synthetic. I argue that ethicists have moral expertise to bring to the public arena, which consists not only in guiding the debate but also in evaluating arguments and moral positions and making normative judgments. When ethicists make normative claims or moral judgments, they must be transparent about their theoretical positions and basic moral standpoints.

scholarly journals Introduction: Publics and Participation in Early Modern Britain

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 709-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. M. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Cultural Exchange ◽  
The Public ◽  
Cultural Boundaries ◽  
Modern Britain ◽  
Institutional Variation ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Important Shift

AbstractThe deconstruction of what is termed “the public sphere” in recent decades has resulted in an important shift in scholarly attention towards networks and forms of association. This article explores how greater sensitivity to the unstable and ephemeral nature of “publics,” combined with a stronger awareness of the role of cultural exchange, has undoubtedly enriched our understanding of early modern politics. Some analytical precision has, nonetheless, been lost. A justifiable emphasis on the artificiality of the territorial borders that have defined units of enquiry has occurred at the expense of deeper consideration of the cultural boundaries that dictated the terms on which people could participate in and shape public discourse. Study of the British archipelago can offer new ways of thinking about these problems. Linguistic and ethnic differences, the search for religious concord as well as the reality of confessional division, institutional variation, and the consequences of London's increasing dominance of the archipelago, are key facets of the reassessments undertaken here. The article concludes by reflecting on how interactions between varieties of “public” and other forms of association can nuance our understanding of early modern state formation.

scholarly journals Accountability in the Public Sector: The Role of Professional Accountants in the Present Democracy in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael S. Etim ◽  
Mfon S. Jeremiah ◽  
Ofonime O. Jeremiah
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Essential Role ◽  
Code Of Ethics ◽  
Professional Code ◽  
Strict Adherence ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Many

The main objective of this paper is to highlight the essential role of professional accountants in enhancing public sector accountability in the present democratic era. The spate of public sector unaccountability scandals in the present democratic era in Nigeria evidently engenders the quest for proper accountability in the public sector. The paper begins with a conceptualization of accountability from the public sector perspective. It also attempts to cursorily highlight the nexus between public sector governance and accountability, before examining the issues currently undermining public sector accountability in Nigeria. It ends by pointing out the ways in which professional accountants can contribute to public sector accountability in Nigeria. In line with the many issues articulated in this paper, it is believed that a sense of value reorientation and strict adherence to professional code of ethics by professional accountants, among others, would reposition professional accountants to effectively contribute to public sector accountability in Nigeria.

scholarly journals Unravelling A Regulation Machine

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-98
Author(s):  
Dionysia Mylonaki ◽  
Panagiotis Tigas
Keyword(s):  
Public Discourse ◽  
Fundamental Problem ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Technical Aspect ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
The Public ◽  
Machine Leraning

Computational censorship in the form of fake news and toxic comments regulation is a subject that comes up quite often in the public discourse, as a result of the volatile political circumstances on a global scale and due to the unquestionable impact of journalism on these circumstances. Public attention has been directed to the role of mainstream and other media in the formation of public opinion, either in the form of articles or in the form of usergenerated comments. The purpose is to analyse and allow a deeper understanding of a project that is under development, namely, computational-censorship and to show that algorithmic regulation is not a solution, but rather another layer to a more fundamental problem. This article examines the implicationsof developing Machine Leraning/Artificial Iintelligence (ML/AI) which aims to regulate the internet and we attempt to allow a glimpse into the technical aspect of the problem as a way to back arguments that could be re-jected by the ML/AI research community as “non-pragmatic”. Finally, it aims to highlight the absurdity of the current approach to research in this area, which is the exact opposite of the rationalism that the field claims to be embracing.

scholarly journals ISLAM, AGAMA TOLERANSI DAN CINTA DAMAI : (TELAAH ATAS NOVEL AYAT-AYAT CINTA KARYA HABIBURRAHMAN EL SHIRAZY)

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-89
Author(s):  
Ahmad Yasid ◽  
Moh Juhdi
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Legal Rule ◽  
The Public ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Middle Way ◽  
History Of ◽  
Data Collection Technique ◽  
Role Of Religion

Abstract   Islam, religion of tolerance and love of peace is one of Habiburrahman El Shirazy’s, it is a study indicating the values ​​of love and tolerance of Islam in the modern public space area. This study used the underlying theory of the values ​​of love and tolerance as well as the role of Islam in modern times that has been developing in the public discourse that in the history of human civilization there are several things that must be understood that humans have the sense to differentiate between humans and other creatures. From this reason humans can do something to explore and explain things that are not known by others. The method that is used in data collection technique is documentation technique, because this study is descriptive qualitative. This study examines several things including the values of love and tolerance because accepting differences is a distinct pleasure for each particular societies in other words, not seeing other people as deviants or enemies but as partner to complement each other by having an equal position and equally valid and valuable as a way of managing life and living life both individually and collectively. Acceptance of differences demands changes in the legal rule in people's lives so that the role of religion in the modern public space area becomes a middle way to build diversity and a nature that must both appreciate and respect one another, this diversity is seen in the portrait of everyday life which then creates peace, and harmony in interacting with all elements of society.    

Die Reformen des Wahlrechts zum Deutschen Bundestag 2011 und 2013 im öffentlichen Diskurs

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 844-864
Author(s):  
Eric Linhart ◽  
Oke Bahnsen
Keyword(s):  
Political Institutions ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Public Debate ◽  
The Public ◽  
Electoral Law ◽  
German Newspapers

The German electoral law to the federal parliament was reformed in 2011 and in 2013 . While political scientists have extensively evaluated consequences of these reforms, the role of the public discourse has been largely neglected . We analyze articles from three leading German newspapers (FAZ, SZ, Welt) on this topic and find the debate around the reforms to be dominated by parties and political institutions . Scientists, interest groups, and journalists have only played minor roles . Regarding content, the discourse largely focused on surplus seats, reform speed, and a proposal by the CDU/CSU‑FDP coalition government in 2011 . A broad public debate in which multiple social groups could participate has not taken place . From a normative perspective this is problematic since the lack of a public debate might have contributed to the poor quality of the reform’s result .

The Public Psychiatrist as a Leader

2020 ◽  
pp. 127-148
Author(s):  
Michael D. Ross ◽  
Octavio N. Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
High Turnover ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Psychiatry ◽  
Impact Patient Care ◽  
The Many ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Community Psychiatrist

One of the many areas in which a community psychiatrist can impact patient care is through providing clinical and administrative leadership. The actions of leaders have consequences, both good and bad. Good leadership in a public mental health organization can be felt even among staff who rarely interact with the executive team. People understand the vision of the organization, and they feel engaged in achieving the organization’s goals and are committed to the organization. Poor leadership impacts morale and leads to high turnover and poor quality of care. This chapter discusses some of the leadership roles available to the public psychiatrist. It incorporates case scenarios that one may confront as a community psychiatrist in a leadership role. This chapter fosters consideration of individual paths to public psychiatry leadership by using several successful community psychiatrist–leaders as examples. The chapter concludes by discussing various ethical issues related to leadership that may arise.

How Media Shapes the Public Discourse and Influences Health

2020 ◽  
pp. 23-35
Author(s):  
Alonzo L. Plough
Keyword(s):  
News Media ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Multiple Roles ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
The Public ◽  
Inaccurate Information ◽  
Modern Media ◽  
Multiple Media ◽  
American Society ◽  
The Many

This chapter describes the multiple roles of modern media in determining not only what consumers know, but also how and what they think. The exponential growth of ideologically driven cable channels and social media, dovetailing with cutbacks in newspaper staffing and coverage, point to the many ways that the power and reach of media are shifting even as they continue to reshape American society and norms. In this environment, multiple media compete for viewers, readers, and listeners who will click on their websites, buy their products, sign their petitions, and often accept their spin, especially if it reinforces personal perspectives. Thoughtful information about complex public health issues is easily lost in that context, leading too many people to base their decision-making on incomplete, biased, and even inaccurate information. For the news media to help build a Culture of Health, people need to understand how it works, what it does, and how it can be used for widespread benefit.

Politics, sport mega events and grassroots mobilization. Anticipated triumph and unexpected failure of political elite in Poland

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wojciech Woźniak
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Political Elite ◽  
Contrasting Cases ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
The Public ◽  
Mega Events ◽  
Winter Olympic Games

Sport mega events are the most prominent manifestations of the multidimensional and global interrelation between sport and politics. The purpose of the paper is to present the contrasting cases of two Polish SMEs: UEFA European Championships in football (Euro, 2012) and the bid for Winter Olympic Games Cracow 2022. This article pays special attention to the role of Polish political elite in promoting both events and to the grassroots movement that effectively ended the bidding for the latter event. It also discusses how the allegedly successful Euro 2012 tournament was presented in the public discourse in order to avoid conflicts and debates about the very idea of hosting the games. This proved unsuccessful in the latter case. This case deserves scrutiny as it is an unusual example of effective bottom up mobilization of civil society against the whole political elite.

scholarly journals Two decades of change in Dutch university art libraries

2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 24-28
Author(s):  
Martien Versteeg
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Art History ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Public ◽  
Dutch Art ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The Many ◽  
Library User

In 1987 Chris Smeenk wrote in this journal about the libraries of the Dutch art historical institutes. In the 22 years that have since passed many changes have occurred, perhaps most notably the merging of the many autonomous institute libraries into larger ones. Has this led to a more professional approach or was it caused by a search for more efficiency? Does this really matter? The fact is that Smeenk, or any other library user familiar with Dutch art history libraries, would hardly recognise the situation at the end of the first decade of the 21st century. Maybe he would complain about the disappearance of the traditional academic institute librarian, but on the other hand he might be cheered by many other developments, such as the more central role of services for the public. Let’s take a look....

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