¿Tiene futuro la vida sin pasado? El desdén de la evolución en biología sintética

Abstract

Synthetic biology has a singular relation to evolutionary theory. on the one hand, synthetic biology is founded on an engineering interpretation of evolution. on the other hand, bioengineers aspire to free themselves from evolution by building organisms 'from scratch' that behave in a predictable way. In this article, I will examine the main properties of the synthetic characterisation of bioartifacts, namely their characterisation as (1) modular and (2) computable systems which are (3) the product of design. I will argue that synthetic biology is founded on a conception of organisms and their relation with their historical legacy which has been deeply challenged by contemporary evolutionary biology.