preview

Genetic Engineering Research Paper

Decent Essays
Genetic engineering

Explain how this technology works.

Genetic engineering otherwise called genetic modification and can basically be described as the ‘direct manipulation of an organism’s genome’ which is the complete set of genetic material of an animal, plant or other living thing. This direct manipulation works by using modern DNA technology. This ‘involves the introduction of foreign DNA also known as synthetic genes into the organism of interest’ or curiousity.
Genetic engineering does not include traditional animal and plant breeding, in vitro fertilization, induction of polyploidy, mutagenesis and cell fusion techniques that do not use recombinant nucleic acids or a genetically modified organism in the process. Cloning and stem
…show more content…
This could give the parents the ability to decide the sex of their baby, give them immunity to diseases or even change physical features such as eye colour. In 2005 laws were passed giving scientists approval to carry out experiments that could lead to the first genetically altered babies being born in Britain, showing how close we are to genetically modified humans. The idea of modified people is extremely controversial. Not only is it potentially dangerous and against religious teachings of interfering with God but it also would be very expensive meaning only the wealthy could afford it. This could over time lead to physical differences between the rich and poor and would be likely to major social problems in the future with the rich becoming a disease resistant super-race. It would also make genetic engineering, babies and genes a commodity which could lead to numbers of issues.

Understandably there are many religious views against genetic engineering. Christian views against this include that the modifying of life is seen as ‘playing god’ as god created life and people in his own image, to modify the basic genetics would be suggesting that God was flawed. As all genetic engineering involves the usage and wastage of human embryos it is considered wrong by Catholics’ who believe life begins at conception and therefore life is being destroyed. This is against one of 10 commandments that ‘thou shall not kill’. It also goes against the bibles
Get Access