Playing God (ethics)

Playing God refers to assuming powers of decision, intervention, or control metaphorically reserved to God. Acts described as playing God may include, for example, deciding who should live or die in a situation where not everyone can be saved, the use and development of biotechnologies such as synthetic biology,[1] and in vitro fertilisation.[2] Usually the expression is used pejoratively and to criticize or argue against the supposedly God-like actions.[3][4]

  1. ^ Dabrock, Peter (2009-10-10). "Playing God? Synthetic biology as a theological and ethical challenge". Systems and Synthetic Biology. 3 (1–4): 47–54. doi:10.1007/s11693-009-9028-5. ISSN 1872-5325. PMC 2759421. PMID 19816799.
  2. ^ Macer, D. R. (Jan 1994). "Perception of risks and benefits of in vitro fertilization, genetic engineering and biotechnology". Social Science & Medicine. 38 (1): 23–33. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(94)90296-8. ISSN 0277-9536. PMID 8146712.
  3. ^ Lombrozo, Tania (2019-05-02). "Human Exceptionalism Stifles Progress". Nautilus. Retrieved 2019-05-02.
  4. ^ Waytz, Adam; Young, Liane (2019-04-29). "Aversion to playing God and moral condemnation of technology and science". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 374 (1771): 20180041. doi:10.1098/rstb.2018.0041. PMC 6452244. PMID 30852991.