Is a convivial synthetic biology possible?

Synthetic biology predominantly follows a market-driven approach, both within the private sector and academia. We present a research journey undertaken by a synthetic biologist who received guidance from responsible innovation scholars, reflecting on the wider effects of synthetic biology technologies. The outcome is a re-evaluation of synthetic biology through the lens of ‘conviviality’, a concept introduced by Ivan Illich to designate a modern society of responsibly limited tools, where individual freedom is realised through personal interdependence. We find that in its current form, synthetic biology is not convivial since it relies on centralisation, monopolies and technologies which have the capacity to negatively affect the biosphere and its inhabitants. We argue that a broader conception of biotechnology, beyond genetics, is needed to conceive convivial biotechnologies. In our research journey we explore a range of approaches for responsible biotechnology innovation, which includes open-source, commons-based, decentralised organisations, and post-growth models.

合成生物学（Synthetic biology）无论在私营领域还是学术界，整体均遵循市场导向的发展路径。本研究呈现了一位在负责任创新学者指导下开展工作的合成生物学家的研究历程，其对合成生物学技术的广泛影响进行了反思。本研究的成果是以“共生性”（conviviality）这一概念为视角对合成生物学展开的重新评估——该概念由伊万·伊里奇（Ivan Illich）提出，用以指代一种以负责任地限制工具使用为特征的现代社会，在该社会中个体自由通过个人间的相互依存得以实现。我们发现，就当前形态而言，合成生物学并不具备共生性，因其依赖集中化运作、垄断模式以及可能对生物圈及其生灵造成负面影响的技术。我们主张，若要构建具备共生性的生物技术，需要超越遗传学范畴，形成对生物技术更广义的认知。在本次研究历程中，我们探索了一系列推动负责任生物技术创新的路径，其中涵盖开源模式、基于公共资源的治理模式、去中心化组织以及后增长模型。