The Positive Implications Of Genetic Engineering : Pros And Cons

You are probably familiar with GMO’s (genetically modified organism) and scientifically modified food that has had its DNA changes. There has been debate on GMO’s has been going on for a few decades, whether GMO are safe and even ethical. However, there is another debate that far surpasses GMOs and has a potential to radically shake society: the issue of genetically modifying humans. Changing our DNA could limit health issue or create a new Frankenstein’s monster among humans. Frankenstein had the wrong intent when he set out to create his monster. He only cared about himself and advancing his future. If Genetic engineering is sought after to just create something new there will be another monster. However, genetic can be safe and ethical if its intent and use is for medical purposes. We need to help the sick in society and one way to do that is with genetic engineering. With this purpose genetic engineering is not overstepping our authority like Frankenstein did.

Producers have been manipulating DNA in the reproduction of their products before Gregor Mendel founded the modern understanding of genetics. Thus, genetically modified organisms -GMOs- are simply more advanced hybrids. The World Health organization defines GMOs as organisms in which their genetic information has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally (Blair, 2015). The controversy regarding genetically modified organisms has been prevalent not only in the agricultural community, but academic conversation as well. Although many organizations and individuals claim genetically modified organisms are malicious to human health as well as the environment, they are indeed the basis for healthy, sustainable agriculture that not only provide a quality product for the consumer, but a safe and nutritious product as well.

While the popularity of GMOs has only recently started to skyrocket, GMOs have been around for thousands of years. A reporter for Vice, Isobel Yeung, stated, “Essentially, farmers have been modifying crops for thousands and thousands of years—we’ve been cross-breeding our best possible, most productive hybrids to create the best crops,” (Bushak, 2015). However, the difference today is there are genes being added that otherwise would not be there (Bushak, 2015).

Many of the ethical dilemmas that exist today will most likely be exacerbated when the technology for genetic sequencing becomes mainstream. Controversial topics like abortion and LGBT rights, which haven’t even been fully resolved in modern society, will re-emerge in a new light, as it becomes easier to test for diseases and other characteristics of an unborn child.

Genetic engineering in the 21st century has evolved so much, that some say the world is on the edge of a scientific innovation that brings up one of the greatest controversial concepts of all time; the genetic engineering of human beings. I believe that genetic engineering of humans, or also known as eugenics, is morally wrong, hazardous, and will lead to many problems today.

The history of GMOs goes back a lot further than most people may think. In 1935 Russian scientist Andrei Nikolaevitch Belozersky isolated pure DNA for the first time. However, it took until 1973 for a graduate student from Stanford University Medical School to come up with the idea for man-made DNA, or rDNA (recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid). Professor Herbert Boyer and a few of his biologist colleagues thought that there could be something to this idea and started their research. In 1975 the Asilomar Conference was held. At this conference a group of biologists, a few lawyers, and a few doctors got together to create guidelines for the safe use of genetically engineered DNA. Just five years later, in 1980, a court case between a genetics engineer at General Electric and the U.S. Patent Office was

Leshia Bushak wrote including the text from Bruce Chasey, an executive associate director of the biotechnology center at the University of Illinois “Plants such as strawberries, wheat, cabbage, corn, and almost all the rest of our crops’ descended from ancestors that were nothing like strawberries or wheat or corn from back in the day.’” Between the years 1972 and 1973, 2 biochemists did what was “unthinkable”. They created a technique that allowed them to cut pieces of DNA in certain places, then reattach the pieces of DNA to other organisms. This time period is the same where the original concern of GMO health risk began. (Bushak). GMOs have been in the history of the modern day humans for centuries before the first concern was brought to be questioned, yet people still worry how safe they are to be consume.

In today’s society, a method that can possibly be used to rid the world of a number of diseases would be praised without a doubt, right? Well, because something like this seems too good to be true, many are hesitant about it. Human genetic engineering is a topic that has only in recent years been intensely discussed. Because of its unfamiliarity with many audiences, people are forced to ask a million different questions concerning this new technology. Whether it be the ethical suspicion associated with genetic engineering or the religious context in which genetic engineering should be allowed, there are a number of critics who would much rather keep things the same. Multiple perspectives from scientists to theologists must be recognized to

Modification of an embryo’s DNA is a process almost unprecedented before this century. While in earlier generations the idea of being able to alter a human’s DNA was mostly fictional, today it is a possibility to be a real medical advancement for the human race. The intended use of this medical advancement is strictly for prevention of genetic diseases, disorders, and other mutations present within the DNA. One such example of this is the hopeful prevention of inheritable genetic diseases. An inheritable genetic disease, is a disease only caught by being inherited by the child through the parent’s genetics. Yet with modification of DNA becoming a more realistic possibility, scientist are working to treat children afflicted with such genetic

Genetic engineering in humans is a growing ethical issue in healthcare, even more so with the advancements in technology. Some people argue that genetic engineering is like playing God because a person is being altered for their own personal reasons. Whereas other people argue that genetic engineering can help those who need it, more specifically those with life-long or terminal diseases like diabetes and cancer. Although genetic engineering offers cosmetic purposes, these purposes should be ignored and genetic engineering should only be used for necessary medical diseases/problems.

To best understand GMOs, it is important to elucidate their history. Despite being thought of as a recent blight on the food landscape, GMOs have a historical root that ties back to the beginning of time. That said, GMOs must first be defined. They are any organism who’s DNA has been genetically manipulated to either express or eliminate certain traits. Although commonly thought of as solely being descriptive of produce, genetic modification can be used on any plant. Additionally, there has been recent progress made on genetically modifying animals and even humans. Although not specifically terminologized as “GMOs”, farmers have been using primitive genetic engineering since the dawn of agriculture. For

A genetically modified organism is one that has had another organism 's genes inserted into it to give it attributes it did not originally have. Manipulating an organism 's genes has been done by humans in the BC time period however it was done differently than how it is done today. In the old past, humans would cross breed their livestock through artificial selection, hence producing offspring with the desired genes/traits. This older method was deemed “genetic modification” by the USDA and FDA (2016). The modern method of extracting one organism 's genes and inserting them into another 's through laboratory work is defined as “genetic engineering”. In the book “Seeds of Destruction: The Hidden Agenda of Genetic Manipulation” (2016) it is said that

Genetic engineering has advanced a lot through the last few years.Human cloning or design a baby is a part of it. The procreation of designer babies is like trying to play with God by interfering with nature.Desinging a baby is an unethical,it raised controversy among scientists,doctors and the rest of society.

Reproductive germline engineering—the genetic selection and modification of embryos—offers a change in the human reproduction cycle and the human race in general. Although still in development, genetic engineering hopes to one day be able to allow parents to choose the appearance, personality, and intelligence of their children—very much like the virtual reality games that allow players to design every aspect of their own avatar or characters. While this advancement in science and molecular engineering seems exciting and innovative, this type of enhancement has many ethical issues. In this essay I will use Kantian moral theory to explain why genetic engineering is unethical. I will begin by giving background information about genetic engineering development and describe the views of those on both sides of the issue. I will then offer my own argument—that genetic engineering removes individuality from the children and is extremely paternalistic. Genetic engineering should only be utilized for removing traits that would lessen a person’s quality of life such as life-threatening diseases. I will then offer the counterargument to my position that genetic engineering is utilitarian and gives people the best and easiest life possible. After describing the argument, I will expose the faults in the argument and explain how genetic engineering does not necessarily improve life for those impacted and also does not benefit the majority of people if only the rich can afford the process.

The propose of this technical report is to introduce the genetic engineering. In the following report I will introduce the genetic engineering include its background, the Human Genome Project(the HGP), recent development, the social influence it had brought and its social prospect.