So is it, if it seems to you? A fictional essay on “academic affirmationism”

Abstract

The non-therapeutic uses of biotechnology has been the mainstay or the bioethics debate today. Epistemically demanding, the theme demands diverse and specialized knowledge, being irreducible to the pro versus cons polarization. However, it is not uncommon to see the opinionated participation of non-specialist individuals, whose purpose apparently is simply to assume one side of the dilemma (for or against). In the absence of knowledge, such opinions are often based on ideological positions and fictional works. Thus, in a mixture of epistemic ignorance and ideology, the debate is contaminated by problematic biases. Taking advantage of a mentioned trend, I create a fictional essay, using stereotyped characters that represent some of the problematic positions taken in the debate. Finally, I offer a list of rules that can help guide the debate on the issue.