Genetically modified organisms : a scientific-political dialogue on a meaningless meme / Giovanni Molteni Tagliabue.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Molteni Tagliabue, Giovanni, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Memes.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (432 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Newcastle upon Tyne, England : Cambridge Scholars Publishing, [2023]

Summary:

Due to an intricate web of psychological, socio-political and economic factors, an alliance of ill-advised forces of radical activism and powerful commercial interests encourage the rejection of so-called "genetically modified organisms" (GMOs), that is agri-food products whose DNA has been directly retouched, or "recombined" (rDNA).While the pseudo-concept has no scientific meaning, the opponents of the agro-industry insist on attacking it as an alleged symbol of the exploitation of nature for greed and profit: this socio-political struggle, in itself legitimate, but directed at the wrong target, fosters doubts and fears about the supposed negative effects of GMOs on the environment and health. Instead, scientists recommend carefully checking new individual plant varieties or animal breeds, regardless of how they are obtained (through rDNA or other processes). Similarly, the important socio-economic pros and cons of the cultivation and consumption of agri-food novelties, in richer or poorer countries as well, should be assessed independently of the developers' biotech methods.The book explains this contemporary taboo and calls for a well-regulated use of all biotechnological innovations, ending the decades-long quagmire which stymies public research and its philanthropic repercussions.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

List of Figures

Preface

Notices

A Very Brief Prelude

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Participants to the Dialogue

1. Theoretical Background

Summary of the chapter

1.1. Every, every living thing!

1.2. Natural selection and artificial selection

1.3. A revolution in life sciences and agronomy

1.4. Areas and kinds of biotechnologies

1.5. Definitions: artificially manipulated agri-food plants

1.6. Approaching the problem

1.7. A few introductory words on agriculture

1.8. The purpose of this dialogue

2. Science and Logic

2.1. Scientists divided? Consensus does not mean unanimity7

2.1.1. Only results matter

2.2. "GMO" plants and human health

2.2.1. Dangers? You can't generalise...

2.2.2. ...because it depends on single cases, "GMO" or otherwise

2.2.3. What about long-term effects?

2.2.4. Nonsensical comparisons

2.2.5. Antibiotic resistance

2.2.6. Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes

2.2.7. Maize and mice

2.3. Weird pseudo-logic

2.3.1. Borgesian

2.3.2. A necessary subtlety

2.4. A vanishing watershed

3. Nature

3.1. Oh Nature, Nature…

3.1.1. The universal language

3.1.2. Strawberries and fishes

3.1.3. Pointless ethical worries

3.1.4. Do we need them? (Princely perplexities)

3.1.5. Problematic "organicity"

3.1.6. "Organic" "GMOs"?!

3.1.7. Mexican nonsense

3.1.8. Coexistence and "contamination"

3.1.9. Weeds and pests, the eternal battles

3.2. The hippo of damaged biodiversity

3.2.1. Destruction of natural environments

3.2.2. Invasive species

3.2.3. Pollution

4. Regulation

4.1. From an irrational and anti-scientific basis, absurd laws

4.1.1. Concerns at the beginning

4.1.2. The Isaiah effect

4.1.3. Some paradoxical examples.

4.1.4. Substantial equivalence, a concept to be overhauled

4.1.5. The Precautionary Principle is to be applied, not distorted

4.1.6. Precautionary nonsense and the nonsensical "GMO" pseudo-category

4.2. Different regulatory situations around the world

4.2.1. USA: how to start well and get worse

4.2.2. Brainy Canadians

4.2.3. European Neo-Lysenkoism

4.2.4. International absurdities

4.3. A long overdue regulatory revolution

5. Psychology and Society

5.1. Why the no to "GMOs"?

5.1.1. Totems and taboos

5.1.2. A Machiavellian-Leninist strategy

5.1.3. Mutagenesis neglected

5.1.4. A "non-anti-GMO" from the left!

5.2. The Third World as a battleground

5.2.1. Suicide seeds

5.2.2. India infelix

5.2.3. Bitter rice

5.3. Errors in perspective from the "anti-GMOers"

5.3.1. A Trojan horse and an empty fortress

5.3.2. Shooting yourself-and mostly others-in the foot

5.3.3. Casualties in the "anti-GMO" war: the poor

5.3.4. Antiscientific old-fangled Marxism

5.3.5. The halved environmentalist

or, the bipolar ecologist

5.3.6. Invitation to partial apostasy

5.4. In defense of the citizen-consumer

5.4.1. Legitimate and rational ignorance

5.4.2. Dodgy surveys and seesaw results

5.4.3. Deliberate misinformation

5.4.4. Deflating the abnormal perception of risk

5.4.5. Labelling "GMOs"?

6. Economy and Politics

6.1. "It's the economy, stupid!"

6.1.1. Self-interested lies

6.1.2. Treated like useful idiots

6.1.3. Money

6.1.4. Are "GMOs" a success?

6.2. From science to politics

6.2.1. Schumpeterian Realpolitik

6.2.2. Unleash "GMOs" on a (well-regulated) free market

6.2.3. Agribusiness to be tamed: Adam already knew…

6.2.4. Free trade and healthcare-environmental dangers

6.2.5. Cows and hormones.

6.2.6. Risk assessment and economic policy

6.3. The issue of agricultural patents

6.3.1. Unfair contracts?

6.3.2. Public is good, or Linux in the fields and gardens

6.4. By way of conclusion: abolish the term!

Annexes

Lists of unsuccessful vegetal produce

Traditional

"GMOs"

"GMO" Petunia: Ridiculousness Exposed

The Central Dogma and defective epistemology

Reference List.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Molteni Tagliabue, Giovanni Genetically Modified Organisms

ISBN:

9781527505278

OCLC:

1380466389