Moral Hazard Studies Of Transgenic Technology

The transgenic technology develops rapidly in 21 century. It brings both economic benefits and moral hazard problems for human beings. In consideration of its characteristics, this paper use the research mode of moral hazard from economic ethics for reference to discuss ethical and moral issues caused by transgenic technology in the process of R&D and application. The author believes that we should regard the R&D and application of transgenic technology with cautious attitude for which we should take the ethical principles as the regulative principles.This paper can be divided into five chapters: Firstly, the author introduces the background and significance of ethic studies of the transgenic technology at present. At the same time, present research status and main ideas of the transgenic technology at home and abroad have been summarized. Secondly, the moral hazard of the transgenic technology has been outlined and analyzed including its definition, characteristics, performance and contributing factor. The essence of moral hazard of the transgenic technology is a phenomenon that without expanding the risk prevention of their own obligations human beings blindly expand rights by taking advantage of the information asymmetric advantage between human beings themselves and other creatures in nature(including other people who are unfamiliar with the technology) causing increased risks on space warps of biological distribution and time warps of biological evolution all over the world. Thirdly, the author demonstrates the necessity, urgency and feasibility of the moral hazard avoidance for the transgenic technology. Due to the lack of ethical guidance, science and technology have limited ability to cope with risks. As a result, ethic and moral disciplines related with the transgenic technology are in urgent need to avoid possible risks. Fourthly, the author analyzed ethics principles we should abide in the R&D and application of the transgenic technology seeking for ways to avoid moral hazard from the point of 4 ethics principles, that is, fairness and justice, responsibility, benefits for all and non-malfeasance. With regard to the principle of fairness and justice, relationship between human beings, relationship between human beings and other natural creatures, relationship between human beings and nature have been analyzed. The author puts forward that the principle of fairness and justice can protect consumers’ right to know and to choose which can be the effective standard for managing and monitoring genetic products. Starting with the definition of the principle of responsibility, the author indicates that other creatures and the environment should be protected by adhering to sustainable development during the application of transgenic technology. The principle of benefits for all means we should consciously resist the behavior of harming the overall interests in the process of human development, which can prevent risks effectively. The principle of non-malfeasance is aimed at protecting human beings and other living organisms from damage and maintaining ecological balance. The safety of the transgenic technology can be guaranteed institutionally. Fifthly, the author proposes possible paths to avoid moral hazard of the transgenic technology. It is necessary to formulate the management standard to avoid risks in accordance with the ethical principles which should be strictly supervised and managed. What’s more, the success of risk avoidance of the transgenic technology depends on people’s comprehensive degree of the transgenic technology and the mature degree of technological development.