Introduction to law, governance and bioethics: looking back, looking forward
Authors: Beyleveld, D., Brownsword, R., Diiwell, M.
Journal: Research Handbook on Law Governance and Bioethics
Publication Date: 01/01/2025
Pages: 1-30
DOI: 10.4337/9781788116671.00005
Abstract:In the context of dramatic changes in the political, technological and ecological environment, this introduction reviews recent legal and bioethical discourses with a view to understanding the challenges that now face the governance of biomedicine and the life sciences. Digitalisation and artificial intelligence radically change the communication and knowledge infrastructure; climate change and biodiversity loss endanger ecological stability; and the possibilities of the life sciences increase as they converge with other technological developments. As a result, governance becomes much more demanding, prompting questions about which tools are appropriate to deal with both the risks and opportunities now presented. Bioethics will not be able to proceed with the methodologies developed over the last decades but will be forced to ask more fundamental questions. Law will have to adapt to this situation, but legal solutions will have to be embedded in broader governmental measures if they are to be successful. Finally, the introduction gives an overview of the contributions to this book. They are grouped in the categories: ‘Methodologies/Big Challenges/Crisis’, ‘Better Governance’, ‘Bioethical Topics’ and ‘Global Dimensions’.
Source: Scopus