Ethics, Gene Editing, CRISPR & Moral Courage with Françoise Baylis #371

Ethics, Gene Editing, CRISPR & Moral Courage with Françoise Baylis

#371

What happens when scientific innovation moves faster than our moral imagination?

In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor speaks with world-leading bioethicist Françoise Baylis about CRISPR, gene editing, embryo research, relational autonomy, and the future of human identity.

From the controversial 14-day embryo rule to the difference between needs and wants in reproductive technologies, Baylis challenges techno-solutionism and genetic determinism. Together, they explore how ethical collaboration can shape better science, why consensus building still matters, and why the most important question in innovation is not “Can we?” but “What kind of world are we building?”

This is a wide-ranging, deeply human conversation about creativity, power, responsibility, and moral courage in the age of AI and biotechnology.

Notable Quotes

“We all have ethics. We learned them sitting on our parents’ knee.”“Biology will never give you the answer. You’re just looking for something to hang your hat on.”“Being really cool science isn’t good enough.”“We have a moral obligation to respond to needs. We do not have a moral obligation to respond to wants.”“We are not just rational atoms bouncing around in the world.”“In ethics, there’s only one question worth answering: What kind of world do you want to live in?”“Are we witnessing the end of an era, or the birth pangs of a new world?”Resources and Links

Françoise Baylis’ book: Altered Inheritance

Her public-facing website: francoisebaylis.ca

Buy your copy of ‘SuperCreativity – Accelerating Innovation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence’ at https://www.jamestaylor.me/supercreativity/

Apple Podcast