English Speech
By Rixt van der Giessen
If you walked into a hospital right now, you would see 4 in every 10 patients being treated for a genetic disease. Worldwide, one in hundred people are affected with a genetic condition. That means 240 thousand people in Australia are affected. To put that into perspective, that is five Suncorp stadiums filled… five! Wouldn’t you like to change this?
Good morning Mrs Woods and peers.
Well, with the rise of designer babies, you are part of a generation that can change this. Today, I will show you the advantages of genetically engineered babies and explain why it is ethically valid to select our children’s genes. For those of you who are not familiar with this topic: A “genetically engineered” or “designer baby” is “a baby whose genetic make-up has been selected in order to eradicate a particular defect, or to ensure that a particular gene is present,” usually chosen by the parents.
I’m telling you grade 12, we should implement this as soon as a safe and reliable technique is available for three compelling and logical reasons: the fact that the risk of genetic diseases will be greatly reduced, that improved bodily
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But let’s not be naïve here, currently we don’t all look the same, we don’t all think the same, we don’t all have the same taste, so why would we all of a sudden all create the same baby? If anything, people will use technology to extend our diversity. For the creative ones, there would be unique options like 12 fingers, to play all sorts of new musical compositions for our auditory enjoyment. Imagine the possibilities: three eyes, four arms or a pair of wings. The diversity would increase dramatically- not decrease. This is our chance to advance humanity; of discovering new potentials and possibilities. Of course we should take this
Though it is evident that the concept of “Designer Babies” would prove unpopular amongst the majority of society, there still remains to be advocates for a future compromising of GM children. It is argued that gene technology will bring about a new age of human beings who are happier, smarter and healthier. Supporters look forward to a future when parents could quite literally assemble their children from genes listed in a catalogue. A future in which the health, appearance, personality and life span of our children become mere artefacts of genetic modification.
This following essay will discuss about how the advantages of designer babies potentially act as the enhancer that emerge the harms in the society. It is just because of this advanced benefits that introduced the disadvantages of designer babies. It is likely that there will be both moral and safety objections as there has been for in vitro fertilization, stem cell science and early gene therapy. The moral objections range from concerns about the manipulation of the germline to worries about the patenting or commercialization of the technology itself. The safety concerns, much like we saw with early recombinant DNA research include both potential dangers to the offspring of patients treated and to the
Notwithstanding, designer babies are seen as the potential cause of “classes” between society. It is argued that since designer babies would be better looking and more intellectual than “non-designer” babies. The article states, “[The process] could cause the “non-designer” children to miss opportunities because jobs among other things are more likely to take the “optimum” candidate for something.” It is also suggested that not everyone would be able to afford this process, making it even more inequitable. Nevertheless, these problems could create positive energy. This could give non-designer children the motivation to work harder for the jobs that they want. This could help to advance human intelligence in the long run as well as advance
The phrase “designer baby” was not added to the dictionary until 2004, but the idea had existed in the form of the eugenics movement since Sir Francis Galton published his book Hereditary Genius in 1869. Galton’s research suggested that intelligence is hereditary, and he believed that success is due to superior qualities that were passed down generation through generation. His research further suggested that personality traits and mental abilities were also hereditary (Plucker, 2013). Eugenics, a term coined by Galton in 1883, advocated for human breeding restrictions so as to improve the biological make-up of the human race (Steen, 1996). Technology since then has advanced greatly, and designer babies are now a very real possibility.
Recent developments in genetic engineering has lead the idea of “designer babies” out of science fiction and into our reality. But, is is fair to risk the life of an unborn child for the selfish desires of the parents? This is what the “designer baby” dispute is all about. While health issues are often the major focal point in the debate, social and moral issues play roles as well. It is understandable that it may seem incredible to have the ability to choose the traits of a child before it is born, however for the use of non-medical purposes, the dangers greatly exceed any advantages imaginable.
Designer babies could be smart enough to be in the top 40% of America’s SAT scores. If we start picking babies genetics, they could live longer and be smarter, with no diseases, illnesses, or disorders. People could pick what gender, personality type, hair color, and even intelligence level their child has. In the book The Giver, they have designated birthmothers and they design what the baby looks like so no one looks the same. These designer babies could have a positive or negative effect on the future.
If designer babies were to become a popular thing diversity would decrease in the world.”Kari Stefansson, chief executive of deCode, points out that such a test can only provide a certain level of probability that a child will have blond hair or green eyes, not an absolute guarantee. He says. “I vehemently oppose the use of these discoveries
Why can’t we just try and figure out why we can’t make sure that designer babies are safe?Many people agree that designer babies are a great idea, but they don't think that it is safe. But there are researchers on this topic, and they haven't even looked into the problem of the safety. People can change if they don't want their child to have the wrong gene changing their child's life in a amazing way, but it isn't safe; so they don't do it because it isn't safe, why don't you try to make it safe. Doctors and parents could choose to change their child's life for the good but they decide to not because it isn't safe, WELL MAKE IT SAFE! Or maybe people do not want their child to be unethical, or unequal well since something is unethical doesn't make it unequal.
Science is now able to better improve human health and safety thanks to the advanced modern technology and medicine that are available. Yet with today's technology being implemented into science comes the questions of human morality, or bioethics. One of the bioethics debates is on the coined term “Designer babies”; on if or where society should draw the line on genetically altering our children before they are born. With the technology able to stop hereditary diseases, the scientific development’s are able to change the child’s “eye color, hair color, social intelligence, right down to whether or not your child would have a widow’s peak” before the child is born. From the options on choosing whether or not your child will look or act a certain
As the years have progressed, scientific research has begun to grow exponentially. Every day something new is discovered and has been incorporated into everyday life. One recent discovery is the ability to screen eggs from the mother for certain genetic diseases, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and implant them; ultimately picking and implanting an egg that will produce a normal, healthy child or otherwise known as a designer baby(Ly). Another aspect of a designer baby, is the ability that allows the parents to pick the gender or certain traits they want their child to have(Ly). This means that if the parents want their child to have a very high IQ, be a girl, and be beautiful; then it will have all of those traits. If the parents want their child to play basketball and eventually go pro; then it will have the ability
Transition: And now that we have talked about what designer baby means let me say couple of words about the history of the technology
A Guardian Online opinion piece, entitled “‘Designer Babies’: the ultimate privileged elite?”, was written by Heather Long and published pm 9th July 2013. Long claims through critical, alarmed tones that a ‘designer’ baby trend is in the development due to existing technology, which may support discrimination in society.
Should parent be allowed to genetically engineer their children? : The ethical dilemma of designer babies.
Scientists today are developing ways to edit the DNA of human embryos. Although people think the positives out shine the negatives when enhancing an embryos health chances, that is not always the case socially when the child is born. Parents create this picture in their mind of the perfect child that they want when they find out they are pregnant, this child most often times has eyes as blue as the sky, blonde hair like sand at the beach, and a smile that lights up the world like the sun. A dad wants a son to play football, but the son wants to do theatre; a mom wants a daughter who does pageants, but the daughter wants to be a boxer. When these details start developing in a couples ' mind they can get selfish. Parents can develop a child to have the characteristics they want them to have; however, that does not mean that is who the child will be. The children in these cases do not have a say in what they should have, they are not even created yet. Parents can be eager and obsessed with a child who has the best features and capability to do whatever it is the parents wants them to do. The spread of what citizens are calling "designer babies" should have limits to what guardians can choose to improve health chances is a right choice but enhancing all a child 's characteristics is all wrong.
How does it sound to walk into the doctor’s office, choose what attributes you want your baby to have, and then having that exact baby 9 months later? Although this may seem quite harmless to most, the negative effects of designer babies are tremendous: the lack of diversity in our population, violation of a specific set of laws designed to protect humans, going against Christian views, and even destroying the roots of human nature. With genetic engineering biotechnology, such as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (or CRISPR), new and unique altercations are being done to revolutionize many aspects of our lives. Along with astounding benefits that can come from these biotechnologies, many people have come up with crazy ideas, such as these designer baby ideas, that could be potentially harmful to our society.