Journal of Science and Technology Studies (과학기술학연구)

Korean Association of Science and Technology Studies (한국과학기술학회)
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Artificial, All Too Natural: Synthetic Biology and Transhumanism in the Post-Genomic Era

인공적인, 너무나 자연적인: 포스트 게놈 시대 합성생물학과 트랜스휴머니즘

  • 우태민 (KAIST 과학기술정책대학원) ;
  • 박범순 (KAIST 과학기술정책대학원)
  • Received : 2016.11.28
  • Accepted : 2016.12.26
  • Published : 2016.12.30
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Abstract

This paper compares and contrasts the concept of nature and the theory of evolution held by leading synthetic biologists and transhumanists in the post-genomic era. Synthetic biology, which emerged in the early 2000s, aims to design biological systems that perform specific functions with the two key concepts of "rational design" and "directed evolution". However, synthetic biology has also raised serious concerns about the creation of man-made biological materials and the manipulation of the direction and speed of evolution. It is no wonder that transhumanists, who dream of creating new, enhanced human species, have welcomed the arrival of synthetic biology. How, then, can we deal with the nature reinvented by synthetic biology? By what means can one justify research that may affect the process of evolution? What intellectual resources do synthetic biology and transhumanism share in common? What influence would the new trend of commercialization of science and technology exert upon the development of synthetic biology? Addressing those questions, this paper argues that the moral authority of nature can be restored in this post-genomic era.

이 논문은 포스트 게놈 시대에 합성생물학 연구자들과 트랜스휴머니스트들의 자연관과 진화개념을 비교분석하는 것을 목적으로 하고 있다. 2000년대 새롭게 등장한 합성생물학은 "합리적 설계"와 "방향적 진화"라는 두 가지 핵심적인 개념을 통해 생명 시스템을 디자인하는 것을 가능케 했다. 인간이 생명체를 설계해 만들어내고 진화과정을 가속화시킬 뿐만 아니라 특정 방향으로 유도한다는 점에서, 자연적인 것과 인공적인 것 사이의 경계가 무너지는 것 아닌가 하는 우려가 제기되었다. 이렇게 합성생물학으로 재구성된 자연을 어떻게 받아들여야 할 것인가? 진화의 속도와 방향에 영향을 주는 연구를 어떻게 정당화할 수 있는가? 합성생물학과 트랜스휴머니즘은 어떤 지적 자산을 공유하고 있나? 과학기술의 상업화와 같은 사회경제적 요소가 분야의 흐름에 영향을 주지는 않은지? 자연의 도덕적 권위는 사라졌는가? 본 논문은 합성생물학을 선도하고 있는 세 명의 과학자와 최근 대표적 트랜스휴머니스트로 떠오르고 있는 옥스퍼드 대학의 철학자들을 관점을 소개하고 비교분석하여 이 질문들에 답하려고 한다.

Keywords

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