TED BURSA COLLEGE / 8-C
Ethics and
Technology
Aleyna TURLEY
58
Technology has drastically changed our lives. We couldn’t
imagine life without it. We owe a lot to technology but in some
ways having technology has been a great disadvantage and has
led to lots of debates. Some of these debates have been over the
ethics of using certain types of technology. Ethics are the moral
principles that govern a person’s behaviour or actions. Ethics
change from person to person but it’s something that matters a
lot, especially in these times. Because we don’t have an ethical
framework for developing technology it is left to us to figure out
what we should be doing with the future of technology.
Genetically modified (GM) foods have become a subject of
many discussions. GM’s are crops that have had their genetics
changed so they can be used in ways in which they are needed.
GM based crops are a solution to many issues that the world is
facing currently. GM based foods grow quickly and with relative
ease also because they can be genetically altered they can be
made to have high levels of nutrients or grow in areas of drought.
The invention of GM’s means that places that may not have the
appropriate climate can grow all kinds of genetically altered
foods and it may reduce world hunger issues. Using GM’s also
means that the amount of environmental resources (water and
fertilisers) would reduce and pesticides would be used less. The
disadvantages of GM’s are that they can possible cause allergic
reactions or become toxic. Sudden genetic changes can also
occur and genes from a GM plant can be passed into a naturally
grown plant. None of the GM foods used haven’t caused any of
these problems but they are possible. There are associations that
check all genetically engineered foods and there are regulations
that control the amount of GM foods and animals that are made.