Engineering Life -
Philosophical and Societal Perspectives on Synthetic Biology

Date: Friday, September 2, 2011, 9.00-17.00
Venue: University of Copenhagen (location will be announced)

Synthetic biology is guided by a vision about a future in which humans are routinely engaging in large-scale design and engineering of living systems. While the development of this emerging area of research promises to bring about extremely beneficial applications in areas such as energy, medicine, and agriculture, it is also widely recognized that the field may have a significant impact on the future of humans, society, and the environment.

This workshop brings together researchers from philosophy and the social sciences in order to explore some of the important questions that synthetic biology raises from the point of view of philosophy of science, ethics, social responsibility, public engagement, and policy.