Biopunk : transcending the ethicality of scientific research?

Nizamić, Majda (author)

The article focuses on examining the notion of ethics and ethicality of scientific research in SF concerning synthetic biology as presented in representative works of the biopunk genre. It examines the figure of a mad and at the same time brilliant scientist, and direct references to ethics. Ultimately, it questions the underlying ethical concerns of creating new human and non-human species. In doing so, the work also discusses human excep-tionalism, ethical posthumanism, and public acceptance of scientific advances. I will argue that biopunk works are rich in ethical puzzles that raise awareness of the present and illuminate the path to the future of science.

• Language: English
• Keywords: science fiction, biopunk, genetic engineering
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 17-36
• Numbering: [Letn.] 58, [št.] 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180749
• UDC: 82.0-311.9:17
• ISSN on article: 0567-784X
• DOI: 10.4312/an.58.1.17-36
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271776771
• Publication date in RUL: 16.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta neophilologica
• Shortened title: Acta neophilol.
• Publisher: Filozofska fakulteta, Filozofska fakulteta, Znanstveni inštitut Filozofske fakultete, Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete Univerze, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani, = University of Ljubljana Press
• ISSN: 0567-784X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 16130818

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Biopunk : preseganje etičnosti znanstvenega raziskovanja?

Abstract

Članek se osredotoča na preučevanje pojma etike in etičnosti znanstvenega raziskovanja v SF v zvezi s sintetično biologijo, kot je predstavljena v reprezentativnih delih biopunk žanra. Obravnava lik norega in hkrati genialnega znanstvenika ter neposredne etične re-ference. Na koncu se sprašuje o temeljnih etičnih vprašanjih ustvarjanja novih človeških in nečloveških vrst. Pri tem delo razpravlja tudi o človeški izjemnosti, etičnem posthuma-nizmu in javnem sprejemanju znanstvenega napredka. Avtorica trdi, da so biopunkovska dela bogata z etičnimi ugankami, ki ozaveščajo sedanjost in osvetljujejo pot v prihodnost znanosti.

• Keywords: znanstvena fantastika, biopunk, genetsko inženirstvo