Of genes and justice: Colin Farrelly

by Angela Roorda, from the Arts Research Update newsletter

The recent de-coding of the human genome has generated a great deal of excitement over potential new treatments for diseases like cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer’s, and arthritis. There is the promise of gene-based immunizations, genetic correction of hereditary diseases, and gene-specific treatments for hitherto intractable conditions.

At the centre of all the excitement, however, voices of concern — and sometimes alarm — have also been raised, particularly regarding the possible misuses of genetic information and the ethical complexities associated with our new power to know, select, manipulate, and modify the genetic makeup of future generations. “How can society best harness the benefits of genetic information and technologies while reasonably avoiding their potential harms?” asks UW political science and philosophy professor Colin Farrelly. His current research addresses these very issues, and in his book-in-progress Genetically Modified Justice, he addresses these debates by outlining a normative theoretical framework for negotiating the ethical, legal and social issues which arise in the wake of the genetic revolution.

Just back from a year in England as a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice in Oxford (where he was also a Visitor in its Program on Ethics and the New Biosciences), Farrelly likens the current situation to the industrial revolution: “Like the industrial revolution of the 19th century, the genetic revolution of the late 20th century created both optimists and pessimists. The optimists emphasize the great potential these scientific advances may yield in terms of helping us mitigate the arbitrary and often tragic consequences of the genetic lottery of life. Unlike the optimists, however, the pessimists see grave dangers inherent in genetic biotechnologies. These range from concerns about a revival of eugenics to fears of genetic discrimination and exacerbating the inequalities between the rich and poor.”

Which group is right? Believing both extreme optimism and extreme pessimism to be problematic — and often dangerous — Farrelly himself chooses a more centrist stance, welcoming the indisputable benefits promised by ongoing genetic research, while at the same time recognizing the potential threats to social justice accompanying these new powers to intervene. What is most important, he argues, is developing an appropriate framework for handling the issues that arise: not attempting to decide and legislate everything in advance, but developing effective mechanisms and processes that will balance the scientific possibilities against the social costs of genetic research and ensure a fair distribution of benefits and burdens.

This is where Farrelly’s background as a political philosopher comes into play. “A good deal depends on the faith we can place in our democratic institutions and practices to implement the demands of what I call ‘genetically modified justice’,” he says. “We need an account of distributive justice that takes seriously the prospect that we may soon be able to intervene in the natural lottery of life through pre- and post-natal genetic therapies and enhancements, as well as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and pharmacogenomics.” By bringing questions of distributive justice to the table, and by drawing attention to the politics of social justice, political philosophers like Farrelly provide an important complement to the work currently being conducted by bioethicists.

Farrelly is no stranger to theories of distributive justice, having recently completed two books on the subject. In his just released monograph Justice, Democracy and Reasonable Agreement, he reviews theories put forward by figures such as Rawls, Dworkin and Nozick and proposes his own more empirically-driven approach to distributive justice. Pointing out the limits of what he describes as these more idealistic, “principle-oriented” theories of justice, he asserts the need for a theory of distributive justice that is open to and accommodating of the sometimes messy contingencies and complexities of real life. “To effectively mitigate socio-economic inequalities,” he argues, “we need to fully accommodate in our theories the real-world historical and political complexities of contemporary pluralistic societies.”

His second book, entitled Virtue Jurisprudence, is a co-edited volume that examines the insights the virtue ethics tradition can offer legal and political theorists. His own contribution to the volume looks at the attractions — and limitations — of judicial review, using the Canadian experience as a good example of how a liberal polity can steer the mean between judicial and legislative supremacy.

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What's up with the students

Sarah Tyrer, a student in 3B accounting and financial management, was in Indianapolis, Indiana, yesterday to present a student paper at the 82nd Annual Conference for the Academy of Legal Studies in Business. Her paper, “Withholding Tax and Its Effects on Canadians’ Tax Liability: Is there a Better Way?” was one of only two student papers chosen for this year’s conference, reports a press release from the School of Accountancy.

Waterloo students have an average IQ of 108.66 when it comes to knowledge of Canadian geography, according to the results of an online quiz/game on the website of a company called TravelPod. UW placed ninth out of 107 in the “Canadian Traveler IQ Challenge,” behind first-ranked University of Alberta students, who scored an average of 111.56, but well ahead of Princeton and Harvard (107 and 106.68 respectively).

Management sciences doctoral student Navneet Vidyarthi is profiled on the Faculty of Engineering website. His “assemble to order” solution to supply-chain problems won him a $70,000 NSERC Canada Graduate Doctoral Scholarship.

“My friend Adam and I just came out of the last Bomber breakfast for the term, and bumped into this bug on Alumni Lane,” writes David Ha. “None of us knew what it was.” So he took its picture, and David’s parents identified it as a cicada. Large and distinctive in appearance, this bug does tend to stop traffic when seen, but it’s more often heard, especially in midsummer, when its power-saw drone can be one of the loudest noises on a sultry afternoon. A source at the University of Guelph says Ontario is home to several species of cicada; the commonest is appropriately named the dog-day harvest fly.

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Updates, reminders, and notices

A reminder about courseware from Graphics: “Instructors are urged to prepare their course packages for the fall and submit them as soon as possible. You can place your order by phoning Erin Smith at extension 33996, emailing courseware@uwaterloo.ca, dropping in to Graphics (COM building) between 8:30 and 4:30, Monday to Friday, or ordering online at www.graphics.uwaterloo.ca/courseware. If your course package requires any copyright permission, please indicate when you would like your order to be completed and available for sale.”

Are you an incoming graduate, mature, or upper-year student without a place to live this fall? “Housing and Residences has partnered with an off-campus property management company to secure a limited number of brand-new two-bedroom apartments for UW students at Maple Hill Creek apartment complex located at the corner of Erb Street and University Avenue. Twelve-month leases are required at $1100 a month plus hydro, and parking if applicable." To apply or to learn more, contact the off-campus housing specialist at och@uwaterloo.ca or phone 519-888-4567, ext. 35725.

An update on Retail Services’ 50th anniversary activities comes from Kathryn King, Retail Services’ marketing coordinator. “The monthly contests have been very popular, attracting hundreds of contestants every month. We have given away seven $50 Retail Services Gift Cards, seven iPod shuffles, and seven limited edition 50th Anniversary folding chairs this year so far. UWShop's special $19.57 item in honour of UW's birth year, 1957, and the surprise giveaway gift with purchase at TechWorx on the first Thursday of every month have both been very popular as well. The contests and monthly specials will continue until the end of year.” To enter the contests online, and to see if you’re a winner, check the qualifiers’ page.

Finally, an invitation from the Waterloo-Wellington Community Faculty Project, a “teaching partnership between families and local post-secondary schools. Community Faculty members are adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. By sharing their personal experiences of living with autism, Community Faculty plan to increase students’ knowledge of and sensitivity to adults with ASD.” For information, contact Nancy Cherry at 519-884-3309, or email nancy.cherry@rogers.com.

CPA staff

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