He would like to get some money out of her but the calf is of paramount importance to him.
How will you deal with this situation?
Will you acquiesce to his request to keep her alive for two weeks until she calves?
Are there alternatives that might be morally correct for the cow?
GENETIC ENGINEERING OF FOOD
Sally Mackenzie, Peter Muriana, Bernie Tao, and Mark Volkmann
INTRODUCTION:
Our group began by discussing the personal, social, and ethical impact of genetic engineering technology on food production. We talked about how a number of our students object to genetic engineering on the basis of what they perceive to be a conflict with the natural order established by God. As we continued our discussion, we generated other reasons that students (and others) resist purchasing and eating genetically engineered food. Our discussion helped us to identify problems, issues, and concerns regarding ties topic. We believe the activity we have generated will result in the same kind of discussion for our students that we have had. The purpose of this lesson is to help students use their strong feelings about genetic engineering to develop a deeper understanding of its scientific and ethical attributes in food production.
PEDAGOGICAL GOALS:
1. Help students elicit any personal/unspoken concerns about the purchase and consumption of genetically engineered foods.
2. To help students develop ethical/logical arguments to either substantiate or question their beliefs.
ACTIVITY (2-3 CLASS PERIODS):
1. Provide the following agricultural products in two forms--genetically engineered and ungenetically engineered: tomatoes, milk, and cotton (we know this is not a food).
2. Invite students to try a slice of tomato from each dish, taste the milk from both glasses, and wear the samples of cotton cloth. [Our group did not reach agreement as to whether we would tell the students what they were sampling. Some felt the students should be told which was genetically engineered before they tasted it, while others felt thev should not be told until after they had eaten it.]
3. Ask students to write what they felt before, during, and after they had eaten the food. Do not tell the students to make an argument at this point. It is important that they state their feelings as clearly and in as much detail as possible.
4. Form small groups of three to four students each and ask them to share what they wrote. After sharing, ask them to make a list of the problems they experienced and to explain why they felt that way.
5. Collect and read the students problems (to yourself--not out loud in class). [Our intention is that by reading the students' objections, the professor will be better able to provide a response that addresses some of their concerns. Additionally, we hope that students will be more inclined to find the response personally meaningful.]
6. Through lecture, reading, or video, provide information that describes the science of genetic engineering, as it pertains to food production and to the students' statements.
This information should deal with the chemical and genetic similarity between the food that has been engineered and the same type of food that has not. [Our intention is to develop a basis for the next day's activity where students will be asked to consider whether to label genetically engineered foods.]
Assign students an appropriate reading on how to make a logical argument. Review what constitutes an ethical argument and provide some exercises in doing so.
THE ETHICAL PROBLEM:
1 . Place students in the same small groups (see #4 above) and ask them to develop a moral argument relative to the following statement: We are morally obligated to label all food substances that are genetically engineered.
A. Food is intimate (we ingest it and it becomes part of who we are).
B. Since food is intimate, the public has
Or
A. Genetically engineered foods are no different in chemical contents than nongenetically engineered food.
B. Since there is no difference between genetically engineered and non-genetically engineered foods, the public has no compelling need to know which foods are and are not genetically engineered.
Genetic
Food Continued...
