Genetic Engineering Ethical Issues

DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid. Deoxyribonucleic corrosive is an atom that conveys a large portion of the hereditary guidelines utilized as a part of the improvement, working and propagation of all known living creatures and numerous infections. The National Institutes of Health and Welcome Trust from the London UK and Craig Vendor of Celera Genomics from Maryland USA at the same time exhibited the grouping of human DNA in June of 2000, finishing the first significant attempt of the Human Genome Project (HGP) (Ridley 2). As researchers connection human attributes to qualities fragments of DNA found on one or a greater amount of the 23 human

With new technology it allows us to further research to attempt to benefit humanity and the environment people live in. As well as the genetic engineering playing a positive role in helping with “agriculture, aquaculture, bioremediation, and environmental management, both in developed and developing countries. However, deliberate or inadvertent releases of genetically engineered organisms into the environment could have negative ecological impacts under some circumstances”(Coker 24). With the engineering of plants and medicines, there seems to be no harm done if something were to go wrong and hurt the plant or the medicine just doesn’t turn out right. There comes a point when scientists cross a line and that is when they start to create designer babies. With designer babies, it gives the mother and the father the ability to change and enhance the outcome of their child. The parents are given the opportunity to improve the way their child's “eyesight could be greatly improved, perhaps even allowing [them] to see wavelengths of light that are currently ‘invisible’ to us” (Coker 26). Having a child with not only enhanced eyesight, but with them having your choice of hair color, the eye color you have chosen, or allowing them to have enhanced strength people are interrupting the natural way a child is supposed to be created. A child who has been genetically engineered to have enhanced strength is a child how going to ruin the way sports are played fairly. A child who has been born naturally and has had nothing altered about him will be no match against a genetically engineered one. Some people would take into consideration that the religious church would believe that genetically engineering anything is not moral. Inside “the moral evaluation of germ line cell therapy is different. Whatever genetic modifications are effected on the germ cells of a person will be transmitted to any potential

DNA are like legos, they work together to build the traits of living things. They are the building blocks of the body. Many scientists today have been figuring out different ways to manipulate, change, add, and subtract genes from the DNA in living things; this is process is called genetic engineering. Some of the living things being experimented on are live people, plants, and animals. Today scientists are debating on the morals of genetic engineering due to what the community thinks of it, because of the christian 's viewpoint of genetic engineering. To some christians it may pose a threat to their, but to others it may be a blessing or a gift. Genetic Engineering is a growing breakthrough in the science community. “Over the last 30 years, the field of genetic engineering has developed rapidly due to the greater understanding of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as the chemical double helix code from which genes are made. The term genetic engineering is used to describe the process by which the genetic makeup of an organism can be altered using “recombinant DNA technology.” This involves the use of laboratory tools to insert, alter, or cut out pieces of DNA that contain one or more genes of interest.”(Pocket K No. 17) Scientist have yet to unlock the full potential of genetic engineering, but the information and the use they have found for it today has reached farther than anyone 's expectations.

Throughout history, cultures have cherished their beliefs, and those religions have shaped modern societies. The values of various religions coincide with atheistic morals that humans should not be omnipotent. Religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam share the belief that God maintains ultimate power; therefore, humans are subservient to him and should not attempt to usurp his power. This asserts the notion of limiting human power and relying on the natural course of life, specifically God’s power. The Quran reads, “The sun, the moon and the stars are all at His command. Be aware that creation belongs only to God; it is His penetrating command that in its exalted purity creates the world and all it contains” (Quran 7:54). Genetic modification is paralleled to creation as it is the manipulation of genetics. Non-religious ethical theories such as Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics also oppose genetic modification because they oppose omnipotence, which is a product of genetic modification. Aristotle’s theory emphasizes the importance of balance; therefore, finding the balance of humanity’s power is essential. If we were to pursue genetic modification, the balance of human power would tip as we gained too much control. Applying these ideologies to genetic modification concludes that humans do not have the to right or authority to dictate the course of other humans. Genetics should not be controlled by humans, but rather left to the authority of God, or a higher power, or natural selection, or the universe; whatever label you so choose. The underlying principle remains constant: Humans have no right to interfere with the workings of nature; thus, should not pursue human genetic

While genetic engineering is possible in the modern technology (albeit not to the level presented in Brave New World), it comes with significant ethical questions as to if and when the treatment should be applied, as well as who should be receiving the treatment. In Brave New World, there are no ethical dilemmas as to if and how genetic engineering (technically eugenics in the form that it is used) despite the high level of technological advancement. While this is a contrast to the current scientific

Primary and Secondary sources found that Gene Enhancement had no place in the religions of Catholicism and Islam; both believe it is selfish, unnecessary and unethical. It is an embellishment to human vanity and additionally, insults human integrity when the offspring is affected by the technology. (What is the Catholic view on genetic engineering? - Mary Meets Dolly. 12/ 05/ 2014.)

Imagine the possibility of eliminating serious genetic diseases from the world. Imagine the idea of treating, preventing or even curing diseases that are yet to be cured. Imagine the feeling of being given improved health and a prolonged lifespan. This can all be accomplished with the aide of genetic engineering. Human genetic engineering refers to the process of directly manipulating human DNA to produce wanted results. DNA is a simple but very complex chemical that has the power to change the world and has begun to do so already. Many opponents to gene therapy fail to realize that genetic engineering has great potential to become very important in the biomedical industry. Though controversy exists regarding the ethics of human genetic engineering, it can produce numerous benefits, which outweigh its disadvantages and side effects; therefore, scientists should be able to manipulate the human genome for the purpose of helping people with serious medical conditions.

Genetic engineering is a powerful tool that can be used to accomplish a multitude of tasks. From species population control to ensuring certain traits in a human baby, there isn’t a lot that genetic engineering can’t do. It is becoming more and more acceptable to genetically engineer organisms as our knowledge on the subject grows. There have been experiments manipulating entire ecosystems by introducing a genetically modified organism into it. It’s even possible to change tiny details all the way down to the color eyes a child has. However these developments are not without controversy. Many people claim that changing the genetic make-up of a living being is playing God, and are against it. The works of Kiera Butler, John J. Conley, Ronald Bailey, and Simon Wallace speak on the controversy as well as utility value of genetic engineering.

Genetic engineering is the figurehead of the ethical concerns of scientists in the 21st century. Nothing is more engrossed with criticism and dislike than the idea of altering the baseline for living organisms. Many people are skeptical of genetic engineering due to the versatility it exhibits. A scientist could use a genetic editing tool, such as CRISPR, to remove the genes for a hereditary disease in an embryo, but they could also utilize it to alter the physical characteristics of a human baby. This thought provoked the flood gates of ethics to unleash a multitude of unanswered questions and concerns about the usage and further development of genetic engineering. The field of genetic engineering is

Like any technology, genetic engineering offers benefits as well as potential risks. Genetic engineering can negatively affect human health as well as environmental impacts. For example, genetic engineering can cause allergic reactions or even create new ones. According to the article, Genetically Engineered foods, “Modified organisms may interbreed with natural organisms and out-compete them, leading to extinction of the original organism or to other unpredictable environmental effects,” ("Genetically engineered foods: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia"). Genetically engineering can cause this environmental problem directly because an engineered

On the most surface level, human genetic engineering and human genetic modification are a new and rapidly developing field of science that deals with directly altering the DNA (genetic makeup) of a living human cell. From early science fiction to the present day, taking control of humans’ gen es and directing the flow of evolution has been a subject of debate for many people. Human genetic engineering or HGE tends to bring up thoughts of dystopian futures where altering DNA has unexpectedly resulted in horrible mutant humans that can’t survive and thus the human race perishes, but this is not necessarily the outcome. Since genetic engineering is an emerging field of science, there are still many moral and ethical issues that need to be addressed before continuing research. Atheists and theists both have valid reasons to support / resist the continuation of this field of science. For the purpose of this paper, it will be assumed the reader has a reasonable understanding of the terms atheism, theism, DNA, genes, genome, and how a persons DNA (their genotype) essentially dictates the physical appearance and abilities that person portrays (their phenotype).

One of the biggest pictures that are against genetic engineering is that humans are not supposed to play the role of God. DNA is a unique thing to every person. Bioengineering itself involves the very technical aspects of modification, and the enhancement of stem cells or DNA and this process can change the human structure. “The progress of civilization has been having been largely dependent upon the out ‘interference with nature’.”(Encyclopedia of Applied Plant Sciences).

Genetic engineering is the process whereby new DNA is added or existing DNA is altered in an organism 's genome. This may involve changing one base pair (A-T or C-G) or deleting entire sections of DNA or adding additional copies of a gene. This results in creating new traits that were not previously present in the organism’s genome. This is done to selectively breed desired traits or to create plants with increased resistance to pesticides and increased tolerance to herbicides. For example insulin is a protein that regulates sugar content in our blood and is produced normally in the pancreas. Genetic engineering is used to produce a form of insulin that is similar to yeast and bacterial cells. This genetically engineered insulin is called

With only a 20-year history, genetic engineering is only a young science with much uncertainly relativity compared to other fields. Much of the elements bioengineering studies and experiments, the DNA genome and sequence, are still unknown to the scientific community. Changes in genes greatly transform the condition, structure, and essence of an organism, giving us an entirely different and unnatural creation. Even when the physical effects are barely noticeable or deemed safe and ethical, these modified creations’ effects on the environment are impossible to predict and will only emerge when the damage done becomes evident to the human population. Though a large unknown looms over modifying genes, bioengineering industries insist upon dismissing the scare over genetic foods with the vast potential “miracle” foods can benefit upon human society.

“Genetic engineering differs from cloning in key ways. Whereas cloning produces genetically exact copies of organisms, genetic engineering refers to processes in which scientists manipulate genes to create purposefully different versions of organisms—and, in some cases, entirely new living things”, duplication of genetic cells is known as human cloning. Development of genetic engineering biotechnologies undermines the natural autonomy of life. Does genetic engineering interfere with God’s natural order or a manipulation of God creation and the intended purpose of our lives? Genetic engineering goes against the theological belief of the authority of God and religion governance order. This new paradigm of genetic engineering reproduction of life as we know is an interference of the creation of God’s and life. I believe if we continue the use of genetic engineering cloning it is against everything we believe in, genetic engineering is not God’s will and it should be prohibited,