You Tube Theology

Scientific discoveries are continually being made that require considerable ethical reflection with respect to their application, but science itself (meaning here the natural sciences) cannot decide on ethical issues. So which ethical principles should we prioritise in the applications of science? This lecture will discuss the 'ethical tool-kit' used by science ethics committees around the world: Natural Law ethics; Utilitarianism; Deontological ethics; and Virtue Ethics. We will reflect on how religious principles interact with these four perspectives. The lecture will assess the strengths and weaknesses of the 'ethical tool-kit' in its application to recent scientific advances, for example in genetic engineering, as in the latest applications of CRISPR/Cas and embryo editing.