ABSTRACT
Biotechnology is the use of technology in the biological sphere. But this technology involves more than inanimate tools; its manipulations use biological entities, and this raises a number of cultural and religious issues that other technological applications do not. Of course, the social challenges are more limited when the biological form is low in the evolutionary tree. Yet even in this scenario, important ecological issues may be raised. As manipulation spreads into plant and animal species, new questions emerge about the possible social and environmental impacts. Another concern is animal welfare.
