Abstract

The paper presents some considerations regarding the doctoral thesis entitled Ethical Provocations in Synthetic Biology, defended by Olivia Macovei under the scientific supervision of PhD. Prof. Viorel Guliciuc, at ”Stefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, Romania. This thesis explores the ethical implications of synthetic biology, a cutting-edge scientific field that raises philosophical questions across ontological, epistemological, anthropological, and ethical domains. The author examines synthetic biology's aim to create new living structures from existing biological components, distinguishing it from artificial biology. The research analyzes the field's impact on various levels, including its ontological implications for life creation, epistemological shift towards pragmatic truth, anthropological considerations regarding posthuman evolution, and ethical concerns about researcher responsibility and technology accessibility. The work contributes to developing a prospective ethics for evaluating emerging technologies, employing an analytical philosophy approach while incorporating hermeneutical elements.