The Power Of Modifying Genetics

Genetic manipulation is a powerful tool that allows humans to selectively modify organisms. It provides the ability for humans to deliberately manipulate an organism 's’ genes in order to produce desirable traits. Genetic manipulation provides the ability for humans to decide which phenotypes to express, and which to eliminate. This typically starts with an individual organism, then goes onto eventually effect and entire species or breed.

Savulescu in "Genetic Interventions and the Ethics of Enhancement" suggests that we have an obligation to enhance. His core argument can be interpreted as threefold: The right thing to do to enhance, the consistency that comes with the enhancement, and there is no difference between enhancement and treating diseases.

Should human genetic modification be allowed in today’s society? Many experiments with genetic modification on plants and animals involved trial and error. While there was success in the research, there also existed the cost of many errors. Scientists soon want to move onto the next step – genetic modification in humans. The human aesthetic could soon be in the hands of men. Recent advances in technology and research through other life forms have allowed us to consider this vast advancement in genetic modification. In studies of genetic modification, scientists rarely have 100% efficiency. We need to approach the concept of genetic modification in humans with caution. The magnitude of the advancement is immense; therefore, we need to approach this concept at a gradual pace. If we ignore these precautions, we risk human lives and deformities in the name of science. Exploring the possibilities of genetic modification is important to the future of science.

Imagine if one day, humans were modified to be better people. Well that day is almost here, because scientists have already attempted to genetically modifying humans in China (OI). Although humans have the chance to be modified to be better, is that really a good thing? Genetically modifying humans is not a good idea. For example one of the modifications is to help people not feel pain, but it can also keep them unaware of harm (Doc. 2). Furthermore genetic modifications on humans is not good and shouldn't be allowed.

Huxley says that in the novel genetic modification is what makes society perfect, however, he also states that it is what could end society as a whole. As The Director is giving a tour of the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning center, Mr. Foster tells the students about how the babies become who they are. He says, “We also predestine and condition. We decant our babies as socialized human beings, as Alphas or Epsilons” (13). In saying this Mr. Foster confirms that with predestination and conditioning it makes the World State’s society more interesting. However, he is also contradicting himself saying that decanting the babies to be social will make the world more interesting, but instead makes it more complicated for them because some want their privacy.

23andMe was also targeting pharmaceutical and biotechnical companies as a consumer, because they have the ability to mine the information out to guide drug development. Overall, however, the true target consumer is someone who is looking for something that is cheap, convenient, fast and insightful and gives them the information they want for the money they are paying for the

In the summer of 2009, the Food and Drug Administration and the 23andMe organization started negotiations on regulating the company’s delivery of genetic health probability data. A couple of years after, the FDA all of a sudden alerted the organization to quit offering its Personal Genome Service. The FDA felt the test was considered a “medical device”. This classification would require the organization to gain FDA approval. The letter served as a notice to the organization since they were no more speaking with the office.

Companies like 23andMe and Navigenics (now part of Life Technologies) have tried to offer a service for genetic analysis of individuals for health-related purposes. These companies were sent letters stating that their genetic tests are basically medical devices and thus require FDA approval before such services can be offered. Later 23andMe was ordered to stop selling their genetic testing products used for health-related purposes (23andMe still sells their genealogical genetic testing products). Two discussion topics:

Genetic Engineering: Defining Our Children’s Traits is an article that explains the concept of altering genes and the advances we have had with genetics. The article starts out by explaining the genetic makeup of humans. Just like we learned in class diploid babies have one alleles from mom and one alleles’ from the father. The articles states how our DNA have genes that are about equal portion from our mother and father. It then goes on to talk about how we are made from the code that our genes give us. Knowing that genes create us scientist have now been working on genetic engineering.

Daisy the cow was born with a birth defect. She had no tail. The process of the genetic transfer is most likely to be the cause of this. Stefan Wagner, a scientist on the team, said "This congenital abnormality is rare in cows and not something we have seen in animals we have cloned previously," However, they are still in the process of confirming whether or not this defect is link to the genetic transferring method. This deformity makes us question whether she has any other health issues. If she was born without a tail, there is a chance she could have other deformities as well. This is not good news as it any form of health problems could affect other parts of the cow.

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).

Throughout history, society has always placed value on being bigger, stronger, and faster by any means necessary to obtain these abilities. In order to obtain these abilities, society use genetic enhancements. A genetic enhancement is the use of genetic engineering to modify an individual’s biological traits; in addition, it is the alteration of genes in an individual’s body. Scientists are able to alter individual’s genotype with the purpose of choosing desired phenotype of a newborn. The process that scientist must go through to genetically alter a gene is provide the gene to be transferred, a host cell in which the gene is inserted, and a vector to bring about the transfer, in which the enhancement is made possible. Considering that

“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,

"Everything is achievable through technology," said Howard Stark in the movie Iron Man. Not everything has been achievable yet, but at least we are living in the world where it is possible to modify particular DNAs in plants in order to make them resistant to climate changes, insects, or herbicide or to enhance their nutritions and flavors. This has brought positive implications on our society but also numerous controversies and debates. I, too, had a misconception like most people do until I read one article pointing out ─ criticizing ─ baseless rumors about GMO. I did a brief research and figured out that a lot of anti-GMO claims were exaggerated and even groundless sometimes. Advanced science that is closely related to our food consumption is considered as one of important social issues, I wanted to learn pros and cons and resolve some misunderstandings through the research as a brief fact ascertainment.

Human genetic engineering should be banned because it harms the human race since we would be reducing our genetic diversity through this radical process. Human genetic engineering simply eliminates the “undesirable” traits and encourages specific “desirable” traits. With the endless possibilities of choosing what to eliminate, inevitably the “desirable” traits are picked and chosen on whim decisions such as blonde hair, blue eyes, a slender figure, and tall height (Act For Libraries). According to the British Medical Journal, this idea of designing a baby based on cosmetics is called unrealistic and arbitrary standards of perfection (Caplan). Unrealistic and arbitrary standards of perfection will create identical genomes among humans. Obviously, there would be a tremendous drop in genetic diversity as a result of this. Moreover, when defective genes are replaced with functional genes inevitably, there is a reduction of genetic diversity and causes the human population, as a whole, to be more susceptible to disease and virus (Patra). As shown by this, the “undesirable’ traits are annihilated and “desirable” or functional genes in this instance are promoted. Although scientists for genetic engineering will promote the “eradication of genetic disorders and diseases,” once they are diminished to the best of their ability there would still be a yearn to “perfect” the human race. Instead of annihilating disease we would also be annihilating cosmetic traits we don’t want to see in