Bioethics in India: Proceedings of the International Bioethics Workshop in Madras: Biomanagement of Biogeoresources, 16-19 Jan. 1997, University of Madras; Editors: Jayapaul Azariah, Hilda Azariah, & Darryl R.J. Macer, Copyright Eubios Ethics Institute 1997.
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110. Ethics, Education and Social Development

S. Rajathy and P. Thankappan
School of Environmental Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Cochin - 682 016

Education implies study and learning. Ethical consideration in education and research has high relevance in this modern age of scientific and technological development. Education being the catalytic agent of all these development, its philosophy, ethics and values have been questioned every time during the cultural and socio-economic changes of the country. The split between the "Work of Head" and "Work and Hand" gives more chances to think over the problem of ethics in education and research. The paper thrown light on these aspects in the context of the total development of the country.
111. The need and scope for Bioethics in teacher training

V. Usha Sri
Senior Lecturer in Education, Sri Sarada College of Education, Salem - 636 016

Sensitizing the citizens to important issues that concern life is an essential function of education. Careful thought on various moral, social and legal issues should precede a sensible action. To trigger the rational and unbiased thinking towards a sensitive and significant area like bioethics is the most important function of teachers. It is observed that people in general and teachers in particular are not well aware of bioethical issues. It is observed that people in general and teachers in particular are not well aware of bioethical issues. It is an emerging area which has to find place in various levels of teacher preparation. Training at the pre-service and inservice phases should highlight the need for and the range of topics in teaching which serve a fertile ground for teacher preparation in bioethics education.

The present paper deals with the need and scope for bioethics in teacher training at both school and college levels. Subject areas are identified and suggestions are given to include bioethics in teacher training program. A suggested plan of action to moral judgment and value clarification, mainly through environmental education forms the focal point of this paper.

112. Towards an Adequate Basis for Bioethics

L.T. Jeyachandran

Formerly Chief Engineer (Civil), Department of Telecom, Govt. of India
(495, 10th Street, 3rd Avenue, Anna Nagar Western Extn., Chennai - 600 101)

Of all branches of ethics, bioethics would appear to be the most fundamental as it has to do with the crucial and enigmatic issues of life and death. In this paper, I strongly plead for a theocentric approach to this branch of study.

1. If every aspect of life (biological) is to be treated as identical, then it would result in a pantheistic approach in which every form of life would contribute to every other form. While this is true in a mechanistic sense ecologically, why is it that humans feel strongly about the preservation and sustenance of life in all its diversity? This would be natural if mankind appears to have received a mandate to do so. [Selfish reasons such as keeping the planet habitable for the next generation etc. lack of the motivation which is noble and would smack of doing the right thing for not the right-enough reasons].

2. Evidences from Cosmology and biology now conclusively show that we live in a finite but highly ordered fine tuned universe. The information content in the DNA could not have come about from non-intelligent random processes and the finite universe cries out in favour of a trans-material trans-temporal Originator to it.

3. Even a seminar like this assumes that moral and ethical issues will have to transcend national borders. While cultures and religions around the world have proposed various approaches to the question of ethics, it is quite obvious that the basis for ethics has to be absolute. If not, there will be no way of saying whether one approach to ethics is better than other - we can only say that it is different from the others. We reach the inescapable that the Originator of the Universe is not only Infinite (because He created the finite universe of which we are a part) but also Moral (His absolute standards would provide the basis for any branch of ethics)

4. It would also be reasonable to deduce that we humans are in some special way capable of understanding the Creator's wishes, one of which is sanctity of life - He who cannot create life cannot arrogate himself the right to destroy it.

Please send comments to Email < Macer@biol.tsukuba.ac.jp >.

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