From Homo Faber to Homo Creator? A Theological-Ethical Expedition into the Anthropological Depths of Synthetic Biology

Synthetic Biology is supposed to evoke new challenges for science and society. Yet it is a controversial point, up to which extend ethical as well as societal challenges will reach. This paper examines the question as to how a theological-ethical perspective can speak of an anthropological change in the understanding of human beings―as supposed by some philosophers―due to the successes and visions of synthetic biology. Regarding this, the metaphors appearing in the field of synthetic biology (playing God; living machine) will be briefly looked at as possible indicators of such an anthropological change. Based on this the particular theological understanding of creation will be questioned in order to finally examine the results in regard to its consequences for the discourse of the human being as homo creator.