Biotechnology
- Submitted by: ElishevaHoffman
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- Category: Science
- Date Submitted: 10/28/2015 08:39 PM
- Pages: 7
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THE ETHICS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING
Genetically engineering a baby is the deliberate, controlled manipulation of the genetic material with the intention of making some aspect or aspects of the baby more desirable or better in some way or with some combination of characteristics. For example, genetic material may be manipulated or genes transplanted in order to create babies that are physically stronger or smarter or even more technologically savvy. One of the most heated ongoing debates in biomedical engineering today deals with the ethical and moral aspects of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering has the potential to improve health and well-being, increase the human lifespan, revolutionize standards of living and help conserve limited resources (Koepsell, D. 2007, August 1). THE ETHICS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING.). However, manipulating genetic codes of various organisms, or engineering entirely new organisms, by definition, radically alters human interaction with the natural world. Critics of genetic engineering argue that it is morally wrong to alter the human species as it violates an individual’s free will, and ultimately may lead not only to less human diversity, but a potential derivative collapse of humanity. While many argue for the human rights allowing parents the ability to create and engineer their offspring’s characteristics and traits, I believe it is unethical to interfere with a baby’s destiny because genetic manipulation can lead to the child contracting another, more insidious unknown disease, parents can get carried away with this “designer baby” technology and the future of the child may be engineered to a destiny the child may not have wished for him or herself.
REDUCING OR CREATING DISEASE?
The stated goal of medical genetic engineering is to reduce the likelihood or transmitting genetic disorders to offspring (Sandel, M. (2004, April 1). The Case Against Perfection.). Genetically modified lymphocytes (T-cells) have been...
Genetically engineering a baby is the deliberate, controlled manipulation of the genetic material with the intention of making some aspect or aspects of the baby more desirable or better in some way or with some combination of characteristics. For example, genetic material may be manipulated or genes transplanted in order to create babies that are physically stronger or smarter or even more technologically savvy. One of the most heated ongoing debates in biomedical engineering today deals with the ethical and moral aspects of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering has the potential to improve health and well-being, increase the human lifespan, revolutionize standards of living and help conserve limited resources (Koepsell, D. 2007, August 1). THE ETHICS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING.). However, manipulating genetic codes of various organisms, or engineering entirely new organisms, by definition, radically alters human interaction with the natural world. Critics of genetic engineering argue that it is morally wrong to alter the human species as it violates an individual’s free will, and ultimately may lead not only to less human diversity, but a potential derivative collapse of humanity. While many argue for the human rights allowing parents the ability to create and engineer their offspring’s characteristics and traits, I believe it is unethical to interfere with a baby’s destiny because genetic manipulation can lead to the child contracting another, more insidious unknown disease, parents can get carried away with this “designer baby” technology and the future of the child may be engineered to a destiny the child may not have wished for him or herself.
REDUCING OR CREATING DISEASE?
The stated goal of medical genetic engineering is to reduce the likelihood or transmitting genetic disorders to offspring (Sandel, M. (2004, April 1). The Case Against Perfection.). Genetically modified lymphocytes (T-cells) have been...