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Regulating the Tyrell Corporation: the Emergence of Novel Beings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2021

David R Lawrence  and
Sarah Morley
David R Lawrence*
Affiliation:
Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, EdinburghEH8 9LN, Scotland
Sarah Morley
Affiliation:
Newcastle Law School, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon TyneNE1 7RU, United Kingdom
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Emerging biotechnologies and advances in computer science promise the arrival of novel beings possessed of some degree of moral status, even potentially sentient or sapient life. Such a manifestation will constitute an epochal change, and perhaps threaten Homo sapiens’ status as the only being generally considered worthy of personhood and its contingent protections; as well as being the root of any number of social and legal issues. The law as it stands is not likely to be capable of managing or adapting to this challenge. This paper highlights the likely societal ramifications of novel beings and the gaps in the legislation which is likely to be relied upon to respond to these. In so doing, the authors make a case for the development of new regulatory structures to manage the moral issues surrounding this new technological upheaval.

Keywords

Novel BeingsPersonhoodTechnology Regulation
Type
Articles
Information
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics , Volume 30 , Issue 3 , July 2021 , pp. 421 - 434
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

Notes

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