The Production of Knowledge by Expert Bioethicists

This paper examines the knowledge produced by bioethics committees – with a specific focus on the European Group of Ethics (EGE). Bioethics committees produce expert opinions and recommendations which can be seen as a typical instance of negotiated knowledge. It is negotiated, first, amongst members of the expert group, who typically come from a diverse range of disciplinary backgrounds and professional trainings – ranging from biology, medicine, to law and philosophy. Second, it is negotiated between the expert bioethicists and the policy-makers. Bioethics expert groups produce knowledge in response to policy-makers’ requests, in political contexts that are usually characterized by a high degree of politicization. How are expert opinions negotiated and produced in this context? How do experts deal with the challenge of producing reports that will be heard by policy-makers, while at the same time preserving their independence or the appearance of it? How do expert bioethicists reach a consensus on highly controversial issues, despite the diversity of their backgrounds and associated epistemic cultures? The paper argues that expert bioethicists – although highly influenced by the demands of the political process, develop rhetorical strategies to maintain an appearance of scientific autonomy.