Epistemology and ethics in the commercial authorization of GM crops by the National Technical Commission of Bio-Security

Abstract

This note presents further commentaries and critiques to the presentation I made in the Public Audience, organized by the Public Federal Ministry in 12th December 2013, about the current situation of the National Technical Commission of Bio-security (CTNBio) concerning the commercial authorization of GM crops resistant to agrotoxics. There are two lines to my commentaries: first, sociological considerations about the Brazilian system of biotechnological regulation; and second, epistemological and ethical consequences of the current practices of the biotechnological enterprises that I address from a pragmatic perspective compatible with the model of the interaction between scientific activities and values.