The Role of Responsible Stewardship in Nanotechnology and Synthetic Biology

This paper aims to look for a model of responsibility that could work in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In order to achieve this, a methodology founded on the comparison with another ‘converging science’ – the so-called synthetic biology (henceforth ‘synbio’) – has been chosen. The analysis is developed in two ways: (a) a brief summary of the similarities and differences between synbio and nanotechnology, and (b) the examination of the associated risks and the possible ways of dealing with them. The paper presents the most common model of governance of risks towards new emerging technologies, i.e., a pattern based on the three phases of ‘risk assessment, risk management and risk communication’. It also examines the precautionary and proactionary principles, that are the main principles adopted within such a model, and it demonstrates their limits and problematic aspects, thereby showing that they are insufficient and non-operable for a complete governance of risks for nanotechnologies and synbio. Therefore, this paper proposes the consideration of the meaningful contribution of the Report New directions. The Ethics of Synthetic Biology and Emerging Technologies, drafted by the US Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (PCSBI) in December 2010. In particular, this analysis suggests that the principle of responsible stewardship, which is mentioned therein, appears to be the most suitable and proper basis for building a rational, balanced, transparent, complete, cooperative, and dynamic model of governance and responsibility of emerging technologies.