Table 6 Examples of teachers’ use of frameworks in ethical reasoning on the three SSI
Issue | Frameworks | Examples |
|---|---|---|
GM | 1 framework | Teacher T10: agreed on using bacteria to clean oil spills - more evidence is needed to ensure that GM organisms are safe; environmental pollution is a severe problem (utilitarian). |
Teacher T18: agreed on all types - GM helps protect environment, increase food production, satisfy human’s needs, reduce starvation and so on (utilitarian). | ||
Teacher T42: agreed on using bacteria to clean oil spills - there will be more harms to biodiversity or humans if GM is used in agriculture, food, or medicine (utilitarian). | ||
2 frameworks | Teacher T31: agreed on using bacteria to clean oil spills - we should respect the relations between species (autonomy); however, environmental problems need to be solved ungently (utilitarian). | |
GT | 1 framework | Teacher T19: disagreed on GT for enhancement - if GT is not applied for treatment, there may be gene discriminations (utilitarian, virtue-based ethics). |
Teacher T22: disagreed on GT for enhancement - purposeful selection through GT should not be allowed (autonomy). | ||
Teacher T39: agreed on all types-everyone has the right to live (rights and duties). | ||
2 frameworks | Teacher T6: agreed on GT for curing genetic diseases-the purpose of GT is to help avoid human to suffer from genetic diseases (utilitarian). However, if GT is used for gene enhancement, this may cause serious social fairness issue (virtue-based ethics). | |
Teacher T31: agreed on GT for curing genetic diseases-it is needed to respect natural selection (rights and duties). Nevertheless, using GT to cure genetic diseases should be highly encouraged (utilitarian). | ||
ART | 1 framework | Teacher T6: agreed on all types - everyone has the right to have their own baby (Rights and duties). They can all be accepted if they are permitted by national laws. |
Teacher T33: disagreed on donation - blood relationship is important for Chinese people. This may be because our views are influenced by Confucianism (Virtue-based values). | ||
Teacher T44: agreed on all types - if the parents are willing to use ART and such use does not go against ethics and laws, the parents should be respected (Autonomy). | ||
2 frameworks | Teacher T3: disagreed on surrogacy - they benefit both the parents and the others (Utilitarian), while the surrogacy may be misused by an immoral person (Virtue-based ethics). |