Synthetic biology manipulates the stuff of life. For
synthetic biologists, living matter is programmable
material. In search of carbon-neutral fuels, sustainable
manufacturing techniques, and innovative drugs, these
researchers aim to redesign existing organisms and even
construct completely novel biological entities. Some
synthetic biologists see themselves as designers,
inventing new products and applications. But if biology
is viewed as a malleable, engineerable, designable
medium, what is the role of design and how will its
values apply? In this book, synthetic biologists,
artists, designers, and social scientists investigate
synthetic biology and design. After chapters that
introduce the science and set the terms of the
discussion, the book follows six boundary-crossing
collaborations between artists and designers and
synthetic biologists from around the world, helping us
understand what it might mean to 'design nature.' These
collaborations have resulted in biological computers
that calculate form; speculative packaging that builds
its own contents; algae that feeds on circuit boards;
and a sampling of human cheeses. They raise intriguing
questions about the scientific process, the delegation
of creativity, our relationship to designed matter, and,
the importance of critical engagement. Should these
projects be considered art, design, synthetic biology,
or something else altogether? Synthetic biology is
driven by its potential; some of these projects are
fictions, beyond the current capabilities of the
technology. Yet even as fictions, they help illuminate,
question, and even shape the future of the field. |
|