RohitTalreja,MayaAnjurDietrich BIOE123

EthicalImplicationsofBioticGames Somecriticsarguethatallowingbioticgameswithsinglecelledorganismswillopenthe doortousingincreasinglycomplexorganismsascontrollableelementsingames.Theconcerns aretwofold,thatbioticgamesallowplayersandscientiststoplayGodoveragroupofother organismsandcontroltheirmovements,andthatitcouldpotentiallyescalatetothepointwhere theseorganismsarecognitivelyadvancedenoughthatplayingwiththemwouldbeunethical. Whilethisisphysicallypossible,itisnotatallprobablesincescientificinstitutionsandscientists themselvesaresubjecttoalotofoversight,bothinternalintheformofIRBsorotherreview committeesaswellasnationalstatutesorlawsgoverningacceptableresearchpractices.In bothcases,therearecheckandbalancesinplacetoprotectboththeresearchersandthe creaturestheystudyfromunethicalpractices.Wefeel,therefore,thattheslipperyslopeor Prometheanargumentsagainstdesigningeducationaltoolsorgamesaroundcontrolling simpleorganismsistooalarmistgiventheamountinstitutionalregulationofbiologicalresearch andtheeducationalnatureofthestudies. Bioticgamesfacethechallengethattheethicalityofmanipulatinglivingthingsforthesole purposeofhumanenjoymentisquestionable.However,afterdiscussion,wehavedetermined thatwebelievethatnotonlyarethecreaturesnotbeingharmed,butthebioticgamewillleadto increasededucationaboutscienceandabouttheEuglenathemselves.Firstoff,theEuglenaare notbeingremovedfromtheirnaturalhabitatandare,infact,probablylivinglongerthanthey wouldinthewild.Next,theyareinstinctivelyphototaxic,meaningthatwe,asresearchersand gamedevelopers,arenotimposingnewordangerousbehavioursthroughtraining.Finally,both fromthepaperandfromcarefulanalysisofouractions,webelievethattheEuglenaarenot sufferingatanypointduringthebioticgameprocess.Further,wehopethatbyplayingthegame, peoplewillbebecomeinterestedinbothhowthegamewasdevelopedandintheEuglena themselves.Forthisreason,weaddedaspecificfunctiontoourgametoallowuserstobringup awindowwithbasicinformationaboutEuglenaandlinkstomoreinformationtocontinuetheir learningabouttheorganismsandbioticgamesingeneral. Intheend,wedecidedthatbioticgamesarebeneficialtoresearchandthepublicaslong asthefocusofthegameisoneducation,notjustaboutthegamebutalsoabouttheprocessof makingthegameandabouttheorganismsusedinthegame.