Genetic Engineering Is Controversial Due To Some People

Genetic engineering is the deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material, otherwise known as DNA. Since biochemists Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer pioneered genetic engineering in 1973, the process has grown to have numerous applications such as medicine production, for example insulin (Mckinley). However, a main topic of concern is the application of genetic engineering on foods that we eat everyday. By modifying the genetic "blueprint" of crops, it is possible to improve many aspects of agriculture. But with any sort of scientific discovery that allows humans to act as Mother Nature, genetically modifying organisms has been a very controversial topic. Yet our society continues to grow, and the need for the benefits of genetically modified foods continues to grow. Genetically modifying foods should be permitted in our society because it allows larger yields of crops to be produced, produces foods with higher nutritional values, and reduces our global ecological footprint.

Genetic Engineering has produced an array of breakthroughs in the progression of modern medicine. Though it is faced with both ethical and potential environmental grievances, the efficacious results of Genetic Engineering counterpoise the criticisms from environmentalists. Researchers in genetics have provided simple solutions to problems that society has consistently endured. Genetic Engineering offers solutions to failing crops and heightened yields in production as well as numerous applications in medicine. It is approached by the concerns of the environmental impact of such actions, as well as the civil concern on ethics.

Following the background and history of genetic engineering and eugenics, it can definitely be seen why ethicists and scientists are concerned. The concept and idea of passing on heritable traits was introduced by English naturalist Charles Darwin in his work The Origins of Species in 1859. Soon to

There are many incurable diseases in the world that affect an organism’s way of living. Cystic Fibrosis, a disease with no known cure, affects 1 out of 3600 Canadian child’s digestive system and lungs, while a person with sickle cell anemia is only expected to live forty to sixty years. Both of these diseases are similar in the way that they are inherited genetically; they are passed on from parents to their children. Scientists are producing a way to help these people called Genetic Engineering. This is a way of modifying an organism’s genome to produce a more desirable trait by manually adding new DNA.

Humans desire perfection in everything, even if that means crossing the boundaries of natural life. A new looming untested technology, human genetic modification, raises questions as to whether it will advance human society or cause inconsistencies in the human genome. Essentially, this controversy will effect everyone since it is still early but it is an upcoming topic. Genetic engineering specifically effecting the next generations. Commentators on this debate argue that it will promote the positives of scientific advancements, but others dispute that this raises strong ethical concerns. Genetic engineering has the possibility to cure diseases while furthering modern medicine, but humans would abuse the process by creating a competitive

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.

While the two stand on opposite sides of the fence, it can be agreed upon by both authors that genetic modification could change the world with it’s ability to eliminate disease. “New human genetic technologies have real potential to help prevent or cure many terrible diseases” (Hayes, 500) states Hayes, as he supports genetic modification through this service. Green, the advocate for the process, is quick to provide examples of how the practice could improve the lives of future children. “If we understood the genetic causes of obesity, for example, we can intervene by means of embryo selection to produce a child with reduced likelihood of getting fat” (Green, 496).

Technology, it 's a word that defines the means and ways of everyday life today. In the 21st century, technology is a crucial thing. From plasma televisions, to ipods and iphones, technology conquers all. Apart from everyday uses of technology, science and research technology is making a huge impact in medical and research science. Teens and young adults today are unaware of these growing trend of using technology in medical science. Currently, the use of technology in gene manipulation and engineering is creating a hype. Genetic engineering is the process of taking any specific gene from a living thing and genetically manipulating it to be added into the genetic code of another living thing. This means, since plants and humans, and

Philosopher Ronald Dworkin argues there is nothing inherently wrong about genetic engineering. He defenses his perspective by refuting other controversies against genetic engineering. At the beginning I want to define genetic engineering, meaning the direct manipulation of an organism’s genetic materials in ways that do not occur under natural condition. The exploration of genetic engineering completely exceeds the convention. However breaking edge innovation is risky to develop and the path of research

This development has made the speculation of genetic engineering a reality, raising the question of whether or not it should be allowed. This is also just the beginning of what will be possible with genetic engineering of a human. Eventually, whole diseases could be eradicated, diseases such as alzheimer's or down syndrome. But as the technology would advance, it would make genetic engineering cheaper, and more available to the public, which raises the issue of people using the technology to create a

“In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on” (Robert Frost). People from the beginning of civilization have cultivated crops ranging from methods of fermentation to classical selection for desired traits. In essence, genetic modification is not a new concept only conceived in the twentieth century; it has been occurring for millenias. Genetic engineering is only a step forward as the latest form of gene selection utilizing biotechnology, which merely catalyzes processes that previously required generations upon generations to that of just a couple days.

In this paper, I will argue that genetic engineering in humans should be considered ethically permissible. Genetic engineering is already widely used in modifying foods for our everyday consumption. Genetically engineered foods has aided in the business of crops and livestock, making the plants and animals that we eat plentiful and more sustainable. Thus proving for the advancement of society as a whole making genetically engineered foods a desirable resource. Genetic engineering in humans is also proving to be an important utility for the progress of future societies.

This technique is described to be able to “repair or enhance any human genes” such as “curing genetic diseases (gene therapy), but also enhance qualities like beauty or intelligence (Wade).” Through modification of genes, we will be able to modify certain genomes that are susceptible to diseases and undesirable characteristics into more “suitable” genes for certain environments. For example, there are many diseases that can lead to destruction yet could be intervened by selective genetic engineering. Heritable “bad” genes may be detected and removed to avoid passing disease traits to the future generation. The human could be engineered to be less susceptible to diseases, mutations such as down syndrome could also be avoided. As medical science advances, our live expectancy increases each year, but genetic research may represent a turning point in life

Since Charles Darwin raised the concept of natural selection, all generations have been enlightened with the idea of the “preservation of favorable variations and the rejection of injurious variations […] useful in some ways to each being in the great and complex battle of life.” (Darwin, 1). However, only the most recent generations have heard about something called genetic modification that in some cases we don’t understand, but whose effects have been increased in our daily life.

Genetic modification has been taking place since humans first began to grow crops and raise livestock. Those goods which best suited the needs of the people were those that they grew the next season, and thus, selective breeding began to take place. This tool was widely utilized even though it would be centuries until the discovery of genetics or acceptance of Darwin's theory. It allowed farmers to produce more products, and do so more efficiently. This process came to be known as artificial selection. Much like the process of natural selection, those organisms with the most favorable traits are those that live and reproduce, only it is humans, not nature, doing the selecting. Despite the fact that these human influenced processes have been