The Pros And Cons Of Genetic Engineering

Although this may be the case in many areas of people’s lives today, it is not always beneficial, or necessary. People may have trouble deciding whether messing with human genes and cells is ethical. Designing the “perfect child” in many parent’s eyes becomes a harsh question of reality. The concept of a parent’s unconditional love for their child is questioned because of the desire to make their child perfect. If genetically engineering humans becomes a dominant medical option, people could have the chance to create their child however they like: from physical appearances, genetically enhanced genes, and the possibility to decide what a child thinks and acts, parents have access to designing their entire child. Naturally, people could be creating a super-human. Issues between different races, and eventually creating new prejudices against genetically engineered humans may increase. People may not realize how expensive genetic screening is at first. With only the rich being able to “enhance” their children, another social issue might occur, giving the world another type of people to outcast.

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.

Why are humans stuck how they are? Why do some have lethal flaws? Why do theses flaws exist? The correct answer is they don’t have to: Human genetic engineering can solve some of theses lethal issues now and can solve more in the future. It can help the next generation experience what everyone strives to achieve. Human genetic engineering research should continue because it can save people's lives, improve human’s lives and improve the lives of the next generation of children.

In recent years genetic modification has been advancing. Genetic modification is when a living organism has been altered to a specific state of characteristics. So far scientist has made one attempt to modify genes from an embryo recently. Whether they were successful or not is question unanswered yet. Gene modification can be great and all. However, is it right to modify genes? Apparently, the population agrees to modify genes since there has been licenses of approval for gene modification. If Society cared about gene modification, then there would be signs of disapproval of gene modification. However, this is viewed morally wrong in my point of view. The pros of modifying genes are that defeating diseases, potential to live longer, genetic diseases, and able to select character traits of babies. The cons of modifying genes are failures on the way to perfecting genetic modification, genetic modification babies can have more greater problems, very expensive, and when does it stop?

Throughout the world, many intelligent minds exist. One, in particular, had something to say about Human genetic engineering. “Nuclear weapons need large facilities, but genetic engineering can be done in a small lab. You cannot regulate every lab in the world. The danger is that either by accident or design, we create a virus that destroys us” (Stephen Hawking). Hawking is considered to be one of the most intelligent people in the modern world. For this reason, his statement is not to be taken with a grain of salt. The concept of Human genetic engineering is surrounded with danger and controversy. There are several different positions on human genetic modification. Conservatives, or Traditionalists believe such innovation or change would be detrimental towards the human race. Conservatives say that families are the foundation of society so changing how families come to be would ultimately tear society apart (Foht). Others say that innovation of such magnitude would act as a boon to the human race. Concerning the danger of genetic engineering, it could definitely become an immense detriment. However, with the correct limitation and government oversight, the human race will benefit from it. Genetically engineering a Human embryo is a step that science will eventually take. Whether it be decades or centuries from now, genetically modified humans will walk the Earth.

The term designer children is unnerving at first to many. The idea of parents designing the genetic makeup of their offspring makes children seem like a commodity in a genetic free market. Thoughts of a dystopian society like the one in the film “Gattaca” come to mind. However, taking an immediate repugnant stand against genetic enhancement is not well-founded. A more open-minded inspection of the issue reveals that the idea of parents improving their children’s life prospects through genetic engineering (provided it is safe) is, at its core, not unethical. In fact, some genetic enhancement in addition to correcting deleterious genes to prevent disease is a moral obligation. It is moral to make rational decisions using the science and

Therefore, the main concern for future and current parents is the safety and health of their children. With the development of genetic enhancement, parents are able to transform their embryos into designer babies as a result. Through the creation of designer babies, it could prevent babies from inheriting undesirable traits that would result in diseases or mutations that may reduce their quality of life. “The majority of designer babies are created with the aim to prevent the inheritance of genetic defects through the selection of ‘disease-free’ embryos by preimplantation genetic diagnosis” to avoid life-shortening diseases (Pang and Ho, 2016, p. 59). Therefore, with this technology parents do not have to worry about their child suffering from diseases and disabilities that may decrease their quality of life or shorten it. No parents want their child to suffer and die before them, so designer babies are a solution to help alleviate that concern. In addition, besides preventing hereditary diseases, the technology will result in a new generation of healthier babies. Besides removing defective genes, genes can also be modified for babies to become fitter and more improved, which will increase their likelihood of future success when they grow up. Moreover, designing babies is not only helping to prevent certain hereditary diseases, it also reduces the financial and emotional burdens on the parents (Verlinsky, 2005). Having a disability or illness may cost a significant amount of money because of continuous medications and treatment. With that, there is the probability that the child may never be cured or may die. Worrying about the health of the child can cause an emotional toll on the parents. All parents want the best for their children as it is their duty to care for their child to the best of their capabilities. “As of today, these techniques are used only by parents who need the assistance

With the advance of technology in genetic engineering in recent years, scientists are now capable of modifying embryos. This leads to a new debate whether or not the parents are allowed to have their children’s genes modified, thus create designer babies. Not only those children are free from genetic diseases, they also have some desired traits like being smart or tall. While there are numerous advantages for in gene editing, there are also a few worries about the dangers it could bring.

This same technique would also be able to be used for the development of a technology that could trade out inferior traits and replace them with superior traits. Each individual will all possess their own ideas as to what they consider to be an inferior verses a superior trait, however this can still be harmful to society. This technology leads to a concept known as designer babies in which individuals will be able to select for the traits that they consider desirable for their child (Steinbock, 2008). Ethical concerns have been raised that there can be the risk that the connection between parents and children will disappear if the genetics in the children are altered. Children would be considered a product of scientists and not descendants of their families (Issus and Ethics of Gene Therapy, n.d.). If Restriction Nuclease Mediated Recombination is used across the globe to eliminate genetic-based diseases, it may develop other uses that can be controversial to society, such as designing your child to have superior

The birth of a child is supposed to be a time of joy, the uncertainty of life leads to this one point in time. Will she or he be the next president, a star athlete, a genius or just fall into the crowd as another citizen. With recent advancements in science, this uncertainty has become a thing of the past. The human being is now seen as a commodity and no more is valued in the uncertainty of individuality. The parent can now choose how they want their child to come out or develop into. Sandel’s book The Case Against Perfection: Ethics in the Case of Modern Eugenics is a well researched look into examples of modern eugenics and the problems that arise from it. These topics range from the ethics of cloning, athletes using performance enhancing drugs, and other practical uses in everyday life. Sandel’s argument is that there is value in human nature (even with all its flaws), and genetic engineering will forever change human nature. Destroying the very essence of what it is to be human and scarring humanity. The main features of human nature that will be altered: are responsibility, humility and solidarity.

The process is aesthetic in nature and unnatural. This carries more weight than the fact that an individual can eradicate certain genetic diseases (Wivel&Walters, 1993).Through the process of genetic modification, doctors can even change the sex of a fetus as long as their clients pay for it. That is very unnatural. As the technology advances, it will be possible to change many features of a fetus like its eye colors and even develop certain desirable traits in them like a good personality, height, skin color, hair color, academic abilities, athletic skills, and so forth. The ethical aspect of such developments is questionable. The born child will be unnatural (Kogan, Doherty,&Gitschier, 1987). Thus, the morality of the technology is not acceptable. Moreover, since the science is imperfect, the desired traits in a child may fail, and the parents would develop resentments towards the child in future. It is also worrying how a genetically modified kid would behave once it learns that it is not natural like everyone

The progression of genetic engineering is inevitable due to its ability to prevent genetic diseases, but with its progression there are ethical concerns that coincides with its development. One such concern will be the enhancement of human traits, as people argue that it violates the right of a baby, as well as “playing god”, and will lead to a eugenic society. However, these argument only provide some truth, as they reflect genetic engineering in a bad light. In the case of violating the baby’s right, genetic enhancement could improve the baby’s success in life and provide some equality in the unfair genetic lottery, but people find it to be in violation of the baby’s right because it is done without the consent of the unborn child. This in

For years the discussion on designer babies has been upsurging and is now at the forefront of many medical and academic discussions. An experimental technique, known as gene therapy, birthed the idea of designer babies. This very experimental technique, y, uses healthy genes to treat, or rather prevent diseases that could be passed down from parent to child. However, scientists have ventured to further expound on the concept of preventing disease to a more cosmetic and superficial approach. The more imposing science of gene therapy would attempt to take science further into the realm of altering physical characteristics ultimately allow parents to choose their babies eye color, gender, and other physical characteristics that have no bearing on the child 's well being or health. The term now coined as “Designer Babies” is used to describe how by using gene therapy, parents can quite literally design their babies employing genetic screening combined with in vitro fertilization to alter otherwise naturally occurring physical appearances. Weather or not this revolutionary new science should be banned in the united states has become a very controversial topic in the U.S. igniting the strong opinions of scientists and politicians alike. Those in opposition believe that gene therapy is unethical, arguing that science is pressing toward a level that is morally perverse by allowing science to create the next generation instead of nature that we as a people are “playing God”. Urging

Human Nature. Human nature is the view that people believe that reproductive genetic engineering is impermissible because it interferes with nature, in particular, human nature. What also needs to be considered is Motivation View. The motivation view which states it is not morally permissible to engage in selection if one does not have the appropriate motivation. By allowing humans the freedom to design their desired child, causes this technology to be impossible to control. In this paper I will examine the use of genetic technology in humans. I will examine the positive and negative side effects and why it cannot be conducted responsibly by referring to the views of Tenzin Gyatso the author of “Ethics and the New Genetics” who believes that genetic technology must involve ethics, moral compass, ability to judge right from wrong and compassion, and Debora L. Spar the author of “Designing Babies” who believes that in order for genetic technology to be done responsibly

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