Biology • Year 12 • Module 6 • Lesson 9
Ethics and Social Implications of Biotechnology
Lock in stakeholder vocabulary, the ethical-evaluation criteria (welfare, ownership, equity, environment), and the contrast between plant and animal biotechnology examples.
1. Term–definition match
The ten definitions below are shuffled. In the right-hand column write the matching term from this list: stakeholder, ethical use, food security, equity, ownership, animal welfare, consent, patent, biodiversity, social implication. 10 marks
| # | Definition (shuffled) | Matching term |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | A person or group affected by a biotechnology, such as farmers, consumers, companies, researchers, regulators or communities. | |
| 1.2 | Use of a biotechnology judged in relation to values such as fairness, welfare, harm, autonomy, environmental responsibility and justice. | |
| 1.3 | Reliable access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for a population. | |
| 1.4 | Fairness in the distribution of benefits, risks and decision-making power across different stakeholder groups. | |
| 1.5 | Legal or economic control of a technology, product, patent or piece of biological material. | |
| 1.6 | Consideration of suffering, stress and quality of life in animals used, modified or produced by biotechnology. | |
| 1.7 | The principle that people affected by a biotechnology should be informed about it and have the right to agree or refuse. | |
| 1.8 | An exclusive legal right granted to an inventor (often a company) to control how a biotechnology, gene sequence or seed line is used commercially. | |
| 1.9 | The variety of living organisms in an ecosystem; a value commonly weighed against the introduction of new biotechnology. | |
| 1.10 | The flow-on effect of a biotechnology on society — including economic, cultural, legal or community consequences — separate from its biological effect. |
2. True or false — with correction
For each statement, circle T or F. If the statement is false, write the corrected version. 12 marks (1 for T/F, 1 for the correction where needed)
2.1 If a biotechnology is shown to be scientifically safe, no further ethical analysis is required. T / F
2.2 A stakeholder is any person or group affected by a biotechnology, not just the scientists who developed it. T / F
2.3 Animal biotechnology raises sharper welfare concerns than plant biotechnology because the modified organism can experience suffering. T / F
2.4 Patented seed systems reduce farmer dependence and increase farmer choice. T / F
2.5 Ethical evaluation of a biotechnology should weigh benefit, welfare, fairness and environmental effect, not just productivity. T / F
2.6 Different stakeholder groups often judge the same biotechnology differently because they prioritise different values. T / F
3. Function recall
Answer each in 1–2 sentences using precise terms from the lesson. 10 marks (2 each)
3.1 What is the function of stakeholder analysis when evaluating a biotechnology?
3.2 What is the function of considering animal welfare when judging an animal biotechnology?
3.3 What is the function of asking about ownership and patents when judging a plant biotechnology?
3.4 What is the function of including an equity criterion in ethical evaluation?
3.5 What is the function of including an environmental impact criterion in ethical evaluation?
4. Cloze — the four criteria of ethical evaluation
Fill the blanks using the word bank. Each word is used once. 8 marks
Word bank: stakeholders · welfare · ownership · equity · environmental · benefit · trade-offs · context
Ethical evaluation of a biotechnology must move beyond a simple pros-and-cons list. A strong HSC judgement first identifies the relevant 4.1 _______________ — the groups who benefit, who carry risk, and who hold decision-making power. It then weighs the 4.2 _______________ against costs, paying attention to 4.3 _______________ in animals where suffering and stress are directly involved. It asks who controls the technology by examining 4.4 _______________ structures such as patents, and whether benefits are fairly distributed under the principle of 4.5 _______________. It includes 4.6 _______________ effects beyond the immediate organism, such as biodiversity loss or ecosystem disruption. Most importantly, it recognises that ethical acceptability depends on 4.7 _______________ — the same biotechnology may be acceptable in one setting and problematic in another. Strong evaluation therefore presents 4.8 _______________ rather than declaring one position automatically correct.
5. Build a concept map — the ethical-evaluation framework
Draw labelled arrows between the five terms below to show how they connect when you evaluate a biotechnology. Each arrow must carry a linking phrase (e.g. "raises", "weighs against", "depends on"). Aim for at least 5 labelled arrows. 5 marks
Supplied terms: biotechnology · stakeholders · benefit · welfare / equity / environment · ethical judgement.
Q1 — Term–definition matches (10 marks)
1.1 stakeholder • 1.2 ethical use • 1.3 food security • 1.4 equity • 1.5 ownership • 1.6 animal welfare • 1.7 consent • 1.8 patent • 1.9 biodiversity • 1.10 social implication.
Marking notes. 1 mark per correct match (max 10).
Q2 — True / false with correction (12 marks)
2.1 False. Correction: scientific safety is one consideration, but ethical analysis must also address welfare, equity of access, community consent, ecological risk and ownership; a technology can be safe and still raise legitimate ethical concerns.
2.2 True.
2.3 True.
2.4 False. Correction: patented seed systems generally increase farmer dependence (farmers must purchase seed each season and may not legally save or replant patented seed) and can therefore reduce farmer choice.
2.5 True.
2.6 True.
Marking notes. 1 mark for correct T/F; 1 mark per correction on false items (2.1 and 2.4). True items score 1 mark; no correction expected.
Q3.1 — Function of stakeholder analysis (2 marks)
Stakeholder analysis identifies every group affected by a biotechnology — farmers, consumers, companies, regulators, communities, animals — so the evaluation does not privilege one viewpoint. It exposes who benefits, who bears risk, and who holds decision-making power, producing a more balanced ethical judgement than a single-perspective pros-and-cons list.
Q3.2 — Function of considering animal welfare (2 marks)
Animal welfare ensures that suffering, stress, deformity or confinement are explicitly weighed against any productivity or medical gain. Without it, a biotechnology could be approved purely on economic grounds while imposing significant harm on sentient organisms, which the lesson identifies as an ethically inadequate outcome.
Q3.3 — Function of asking about ownership / patents (2 marks)
Ownership analysis reveals who controls the technology, the genetic material and the right to use it. Patented seed systems can create dependence, restrict farmer choice and concentrate economic benefit in a few companies, which is an ethical and social concern even when the biotechnology itself is biologically successful.
Q3.4 — Function of including equity (2 marks)
Equity ensures the distribution of benefits and risks is fair across stakeholder groups. A biotechnology that improves outcomes only for wealthy producers or wealthy patients while disadvantaging or excluding others may be technically beneficial but ethically unacceptable; equity makes that asymmetry visible.
Q3.5 — Function of including environmental impact (2 marks)
Environmental impact extends the evaluation beyond the immediate target organism to the surrounding ecosystem — biodiversity, ecological balance and long-term sustainability. A biotechnology that boosts a single crop's yield but reduces agricultural diversity or harms non-target species fails an ethical test that ignores these consequences.
Q4 — Cloze answers (8 marks)
4.1 stakeholders • 4.2 benefit • 4.3 welfare • 4.4 ownership • 4.5 equity • 4.6 environmental • 4.7 context • 4.8 trade-offs.
Marking notes. 1 mark per correctly placed word (max 8).
Q5 — Sample concept map (5 marks)
A correct map should include at least five labelled arrows such as:
- biotechnology — affects → stakeholders
- biotechnology — delivers → benefit
- stakeholders — weigh benefit against → welfare / equity / environment
- welfare / equity / environment — constrains → ethical judgement
- benefit — is necessary but not sufficient for → ethical judgement
- stakeholders — contribute perspectives to → ethical judgement
Any biologically valid linking phrases are accepted. Award full marks for at least 5 correctly labelled arrows that respect causal direction.