New horizons in ethics

Mankind has never been as advanced as it is at present. We have now developed concern for plant dignity:

For years, Swiss scientists have blithely created genetically modified rice, corn and apples. But did they ever stop to consider just how humiliating such experiments may be to plants?

That's a question they must now ask. Last spring, this small Alpine nation began mandating that geneticists conduct their research without trampling on a plant's dignity.

"Unfortunately, we have to take it seriously," Beat Keller, a molecular biologist at the University of Zurich. "It's one more constraint on doing genetic research."

Dr. Keller recently sought government permission to do a field trial of genetically modified wheat that has been bred to resist a fungus. He first had to debate the finer points of plant dignity with university ethicists. Then, in a written application to the government, he tried to explain why the planned trial wouldn't "disturb the vital functions or lifestyle" of the plants. He eventually got the green light.

The rule, based on a constitutional amendment, came into being after the Swiss Parliament asked a panel of philosophers, lawyers, geneticists and theologians to establish the meaning of flora's dignity.

"We couldn't start laughing and tell the government we're not going to do anything about it," says Markus Schefer, a member of the ethics panel and a professor of law at the University of Basel. "The constitution requires it."

In April, the team published a 22-page treatise on "the moral consideration of plants for their own sake." It stated that vegetation has an inherent value and that it is immoral to arbitrarily harm plants by, say, "decapitation of wildflowers at the roadside without rational reason." [...]

The notion of animal rights often goes hand in hand with the idea that it is wrong to eat animals. Is the notion that it is wrong to eat plants on the horizon? Can people derive nourishment without eating animals or plants? Perhaps we should limit ourselves to eating only the most primitive plants, such as algae. Or perhaps this development puts plants and animals on an equal footing and there is no ethical basis for vegetarianism anymore. And are we going to see picketing on Sukkos from the Arba Minim Liberation Front? What will we two-legged animals do? Call in PETA!

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: plant dignity, Switzerland, moonbats