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Departing from the notion that the method appropriate for bioethics should be interdisciplinary, an examination of real practices is suggested. It is contended that usual attempts end up either in a one-sided hegemony of technical discourses or in a moralizing attitude by people not conversant with the fields of empirical science they try to regulate. Epistemic cultures are not dependent only on concepts but on complex socialization processes that hinder true interdisciplinarity. It is contended that bioethics should be built upon a “hybrid epistemic culture”, taking into consideration from the outset both philosophical reflection and scientific literacy.

The article focuses on the ethical consequences of biotechnology, focusing specifically on genetic engineering. The effects of technological innovation on the ethics of manipulating life are analyzed, and the author explores the power of sovereignty and the power of discipline within the social context of biotechnology.