Animal biotechnology: The Scientific Landscape
By Gjerris, M. (2012)
In Brunk, C. & Hartley, S. (eds.): Designer Animals. Mapping the Issues in Animal Biotechnology. University of Toronto Press, pp. 23-46
Introduction
What Is Animal Biotechnology?
One of the first things to realize about animal biotechnology is that it is not possible to give a simple answer to the question ‘What is ani- mal biotechnology?’ The basic problem is that there is no agreement about where to draw the line in terms of what should be considered as biotechnology and what should be considered as more conventional uses of technology. Most people will readily agree that taking a gene from a human and inserting it into a goat embryo is an instance of animal biotechnology. But what about selective breeding? Or artificial insemination?
Behind these technical disagreements lies a value-laden discussion wherein, it is believed, the definition itself will help decide the ethical questions.
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