Table Of ContentThe future ofD NA
The fu of
ture
DNA
Proceedings of an international Ifgene conference
on presuppositions in science and expectations in society
held at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland,
2nd - 5th October 1996
Edited by
].WIRZ
Forschungsinstitut am Goetheanum, Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion,
Dornach, Switzerland
and
E. T. LAMMERTS VAN BUEREN
Louis Bolk Institute, Driebergen, The Netherlands
SPRINGER SCIENCE+ BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC
A C.I.P. Catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
ISBN 978-94-010-6312-8 ISBN 978-94-011-5494-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-5494-9
Cover photograph: © Professor Peter Baude, Embryo and Gamete Research Group
AII rights reserved
© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media New York
Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1997
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 1997
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from
the copyright owners.
Table of contents
Preface 9
Introduction II
Ifgene coordinators
DNA-THINKING IN SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
2 The limits of culture in biotechnology 14
Klaus Michael Meyer-Abich
3 The cultural powers of the gene - identity,
destiny and the social meaning of heredity 24
Susan Lindee
4 The archetypal gene - the open history of a successful concept 35
Ernst Peter Fischer
5 Back to the future - towards a spiritual attitude for managing DNA 43
Jaap van der Wal
DNA IN LIVING ORGANISMS
6 DNA in the environment: ecological, and therefore societal, implications 55
Guenther Stotzky
7 DNA and the new organicism 78
Mae-WanHo
8 DNA at the edge of contextual biology 94
Johannes Wirz
DNA AND HUMAN BIOGRAPHY
9 The role of genetic disposition in human health and disease -
bioethical aspects of DNA testing 104
Hansjakob Muller
10 Genomic instability - a story of repair, cancer and evolution,
with existential impact on the individual II4
Nicolaas Jaspers
II Human biography and its genetic instrument 129
Michaela Gladder
PLENARY DISCUSSIONS
12 Practising a power free dialogue in the plenary sessions
about modem biotechnology 136
Henk Verhoog
WORKSHOPS
13 Gene concepts in motion: from Mendel to molecules 146
Jacqueline Girard-Bascou and Craig Holdrege
14 DNA and food technology - between natural food and food design 155
Anneke Hamstra and Mirjam Matze
15 DNA and education 162
John Armstrong and Frans Olofsen
16 The biotechnology dialogue in the Netherlands 169
Huib Vriend
I7 The genetification of our culture 175
Florianne Koechlin
18 DNA in context - genes, organisms and evolution
illustrated through algae and buttercups 181
Brian Goodwin and Margaret Colquhoun
19 Transgenic plants - consequences and impacts for production and ecology 198
Jos van Damme and Beat Keller
20 Intrinsic value of plants and animals: from philosophy to implementation 205
Petran Kocke!koren and Michie! Linskens
21 Does human retardation occur at the molecular level? 218
Jos Verhulst and Nicolaas Jaspers
22 Genetic disabilities - predictive diagnosis, gene therapy and communal care 229
Peter Miny, Nick Blitz and Peter Middleton
23 Heredity; gene therapy and religion 238
Ulrich Eibach and Martin Gmeindl
24 Genetic engineering and xenotransplantation 246
JorgJungermann and Peter Braidley
25 Embryo, heredity and DNA 252
Jaap van der Wal, Peter GrUnewald and Trond Skaftnesmo
ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS
26 Meeting the person behind the scientist involved in gene technology
summary of the round table discussions 263
Bas Pedroli
CLOSING REMARKS AND REFLECTION
27 Biotechnology as a socio-technical ensemble - dosing remarks and reflection 274
Guido Ruivenkamp
If
28 gene network 284
Subject index 286
The Goetheanum
Preface
This book summarizes the efforts and results of the first international Ifgene conference
on presuppositions in science and expectations in society with respect to genetic
engineering which was held at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland, October 2-5,
1996.
The Goetheanum provided a unique opportunity to gather people from diverse
disciplines who have opposing attitudes on modern science and technology. It is due to
this venue, among other things, that the participants were able to develop an open,
power-free dialogue and could focus more on judgement-forming than a polarizing
debate.
This Ifgene conference could not have happened without the financial support from
many private individuals and the following organisations listed in no particular order:
Fetzer Foundation; Stichting Triodos; Evidenzgesellschaft; Mahle Stiftung GmbH;
Gemeinnlitzige Treuhandstelle e.Y. Bochum; Initiative gegen 'Bioethik'; Verband fur
anthroposophische Heilpadagogik - CHi Verband flir anthroposophische Heilpadagogik,
Sozialtherapie und Sozialarbeit e.Y. - D; Stichting ter bevordering van de Heilpaeda
gogie; Iona Stichting; Antroposofische Vereniging in Nederland; Stichting Klaverblad;
Swissair & Crossair; The Rudolf Steiner Association; The Welcome Association; Anthro
posophische Gesellschaft in Deutschland; Helixor Heilmittel GmbH & Co; Goethea
num Dornach; Verein flir anthroposophisches Heilwesen e.Y. - D; The Oakdale Trust;
Unilever Nederland BV; NV Verenigde Bedrijven Nutricia; Migros-Genossenschafts
Bund; Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Visserij; CIBA; Stichting Elise Mathilde
Fonds; Anthroposophic Society Australia; Therexsys; COOP Schweiz and selected
speakers (G. Stotzky - USA, H.A. de Boer - NL, J. Girard-Bascou - F, P.G. Middleton -
AUS, N.G.J. Jaspers - NL) were supported by the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SANW).
This publication has benefitted from the concerted action of all contributors, the critical
and patient editing by David Heaf, Pat Cheney and John Armstrong, the editorial help
of Saskia Kneulman, Henk Pel, and the layout by Harm van der Meulen.
We hope that this book provides a contribution to and enlargement of the ongoing
scientific, social and philosophical discussions on biology and genetic engineering.
Johannes Wtrz and Edith Lammerts van Bueren
9
Introduction
JOHN ARMSTRONG, CHRISTINE BALLIVET, DAVID HEAF, MANFRED SCHLEYER,
MEINHARD SIMON, EDITH LAMMERTS VAN BUEREN, JOHANNES WIRZ
Ifgene coordinators
Genetic engineering is increasingly becoming part of our daily lives. For instance, the
food processing industry depends on it to a large extent and many modern diagnostic
test in medicine are based on methods derived from DNA technology. Along with these
advances, the public is becoming more aware of the enormous potential of the
technology, as well as the ethical and social issues related to it. Since the conference has
taken place, two events have continued to sharpen public awareness and to deepen the
controversy: the arrival of transgenic soya beans in Europe, as well as the first, successful
cloning of a mammal from tissues of an adult animal, the lamb Dolly.
Scientific views about DNA and genes challenge our fundamental concepts about life,
nature, society and humanity. The public debate about genetic engineering is based on a
paradigm that seems to be widely accepted by scientists, as well as by laymen. It is the
paradigm of reductionist biology, which postulates that all attributes and characters of
life in its substance and form are ultimately determined by genes. Other factors like the
natural and the social environment are recognised as being only of secondary
importance.
There are however other possible approaches to an understanding of life. Some of them
stress the contextual and relational qualities of organisms and consider them to be the
basic cause rather than the consequence of molecular interactions at the genetic, i.e. the
DNA, level. They acknowledge that every living being is endowed with its own dynamics,
sustained by the interaction of both environment and genes. But approaches to
understanding life that encompass genetic determinism are also conceivable. Indeed,
molecular biological discoveries themselves prompt us to search for such approaches.
Such a search would be of value not only to philosophers of science or epistemologists,
but also to all those concerned with biological science and its application. From the
outset, our concepts and ideas shape our perceptions of the world and determine our
actions. Thus, ethical or moral values necessarily reflect our scientific outlook on the
world.
II
Some initial questions related to the scientific and social aspects of genetic engineering
can be identified: Where does the power of this technology originate from? What
characters and properties of living beings does it unravel? Where and how does it come
up against limitations?
A second group of issues relates to the presuppositions of DNA thinking. The success of
molecular biology often hides the fact that its scientific and philosophical foundation is
open to being questioned and reflected upon like any approach to understanding life.
Obviously, such reflections are more fundamental than socio-economic interests and
concerns, which are anyway to do with applications of the technology. Indeed they
transcend an ethical debate which is restricted to risk-benefit assessment, be it in
ecology, public health or social rights.
At the Ifgene conference the fundamental issues were tackled in several different ways.
On the first day, the discussion focused on scientific and social aspects. The introductory
lectures shed light on the benefits, challenges and dangers of DNA-thinking and faced the
question: What will our world and society look like if they are shaped by the concepts of
molecular genetics? What qualities of science and society will be deepened and enlarged
by gene thinking? Which qualities would be lost and how can they ultimately be
salvaged, reintroduced or formed anew?
The second day covered molecular genetics in biology. The rate of discovery of new
genes and their functional properties and interactions is breathtaking. Our insight into
molecular function is highly advanced and will develop in still greater depth. However,
when molecular biology moves from a descriptive to an explanatory science, obstacles
are encountered. Molecular function does not readily explain pattern formation during
development or processes of consciousness etc. The fate of transgenic organism in the
environment cannot be deduced from the results of DNA manipulation or calculated in
advance. Thus, the theories based on the molecular approach fail to explain life
processes. Are there essential aspects missing?
The third day was dedicated to DNA and the human being. Faced with the serious issues
about the social impacts of the new technology, public, scientific and medical awareness
is severely challenged. Diagnosis and therapy open a whole field of new questions which
require us to rethink and reformulate concepts such as human individuality, health and
disease.
Participants in the evening round-table discussions shared their attitudes towards genetic
engineering and the aspects of their personal biographies that led them to take their
particular positions. These discussions showed that besides the ability to grasp certain
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