Alan J. Holland - Böcker

Advanced biomedical techniques such as genetic engineering are used extensively in animal related research and development. As the pace of development has quickened, there has been growing public anxiety about the ethical issues involved. This volume draws together some of the leading themes and issues which have emerged in the recent debates surrounding biotechnology as applied to animals. With contributions from authors of many different viewpoints, the subject is given a thorough treatment. Among those to whom the book should be of interest are practitioners of animal biotechnology, and those whose interest lies in assessing its credentials, such as philosophers and social or political scientists. It should also appeal to policy-makers and pressure groups, as well as to more general readers. The strong chapters on the legal and regulatory framework should make it useful to those involved in advising on company policy, patenting or litigation.

The concept of ecological integrity is used in environmental policy but is usually left undefined, the definition proposed by the Integrity Group focuses on a nature that has been impacted by human activity as little as possible, emphasizing and protecting its self-organizing capacities for life as a product of the natural history of ecosystems. The demand is for an ethical reverence for life in all its manifestations. The representatives of Central and Eastern European countries are less wary of human intervention than their North American counterparts. They consider low input agricultural ecosystems as acceptable candidates for ecological integrity, on condition they contain some unproductive components. This study of ecological integrity is multidisciplinary, grounded in ecology, thermodynamics, ethics and complex systems approach. It covers a broad international terrain, and documents geographically wide ranging case studies. It is applied in character and does not remain at the purely conceptual level.

This book contains some of the papers which were presented at the NATO Science, Environmental Security, Advanced Research Workshop on "Implementing Ecological Integrity: Restoring Regional and Global Environmental and Human Health" held in Budapest from June 26 to July 1, 1999. All papers presented are summarized in the Introduction and, in some cases, shorter versions are published. A mUltidisciplinary core of American and Western European participants had met over the preceeding years to discuss the concept of ecological integrity. The term "ecological integrity" is found in environmental policy documents but, generally, is not defined. It competes with other recent terms, or environmental narratives, such as "ecosystem health" and "sustainable development" and also with older ones such as "conservation". Therefore, it is deemed important not only to sort out the definitions of these concepts but also to find out whether their practical implications differ. Moreover, it was interesting to find out whether participants from Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and, more generally, from NATO partner countries would be, first, responsive to this concept and, second, would hold different views of it. This explains the broad, albeit not always consistent, range oftopics which are covered in this book. The core group learned that CEEC and other NATO partners participants were responsive to the concept but that they were less exclusive of human influence.

Among those to whom the book will be of particular interest are practitioners of animal biotechnology, and those whose interest lies in assessing its credentials, such as philosophers and social or political scientists.

The Royal Institute of Philosophy has been sponsoring conferences in alternate years since 1969. These have from the start been intended to be of interest to persons who are not philosophers by profession. They have mainly focused on interdisciplinary areas such as the philosophies of psychology, education and the social sciences. The volumes arising from these conferences have included discussions between philosophers and distinguished practitioners of other disciplines relevant to the chosen topic. Beginning with the 1979 conference on 'Law, Morality and Rights' and the 1981 conference on 'Space, Time and Causality' these volumes are now constituted as a series. It is h