Chris Gyngell's Definition Of Genetic Enhancement

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.

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?

In an ever-increasing technological world, many scientists and researchers are now trying to revolutionize the human body through genetic enhancement. Genetic enhancement is defined as the transfer of genetic material intended to modify one or many non-pathological human traits.

To really understand the world in today’s debate about genetic modification, you must know the difference between genetic modification and enhancement. Modification is the ability scientists and doctors have where they can change your child’s genes to help cure diseases they may have, while enhancement is used to create a smarter, faster, and stronger human being. These two uses of engineering get people confused because they think of them as the same. That’s why you must

Genetic enhancement has long been a controversial topic between those who believe that enhancing society is beneficial to individuals and those who believe that it is debilitating. With progressive advancements in the medical field, the argument over genetic enhancement has become more complex as there is a constant shift towards genetic self-improvement. Self- improvement is a problem between those who can afford to enhance themselves or their offspring and those who cannot afford to so. While those who oppose genetic enhancement believe that it transforms important features of social life including humility, responsibility and solidarity, those in favor of enhancement believe that it improves what individuals are born with.

We now use a procedure known as germ line engineering. This branch of genetic engineering is named for the type of cells it deals with. In the early embryonic stage, the unchanged cells develop into either germ cells or somatic cells (CRG). The germ cells are what turn into the sperm and eggs, and they also pass on hereditary characteristics. The somatic cells are the rest of the cells in the body that make up the organs, muscles, etc. Even though both types of cells contain genes, only germ cells pass their individual characteristics onto offspring (CRG). Any change performed with the sperm, eggs or embryo is considered either germ cell or germ line genetic modification. And, since the characteristics of germ cells are passed on to future generations, these modifications do not just affect the individual organism. In fact these changes, over a certain time period, may become part of the gene pool for good (CRG). These modifications include the removal of unwanted hereditary diseases and the enhancement of genes associated with appearance, intelligence, and athletic ability.

Genetic enhancements generally refer the modification and engineering of genetic material in order to create unnatural and enhanced traits. By using these enchantments a person can be changed in un-natural ways to customise the traits of the person and possibly make the person have non-human abilities.(C.Hanna,

Nowadays with the advancement of genetic technology, there seems to be a term designer baby. An article written with combined different sources tells the advantages and disadvantages of designing babies using genetic engineering used on embryos. It asks us the ethical question as to whether the parent have the right reason to modify or just for the show of it. There seems to be greater risk to the embryo if it is not handled carefully; furthermore, the technology is only in the experimental stages. Another major concerns is that the technology creating a gap in our human society. Another major concern is the effect the change in genetic of child would have in terms of himself because we will not know the impact until the child is grown, and what could happen to his family tree. Even though the technology is advanced, there are still problems with targeting specific genes in the human; with that comes major risk to the child, and the human society. Another thing concerning society is that, not everyone would be able to afford the procedure, so in term it we will have two different social class. Although there seems to be many

Consider living in a world where a sizeable majority of our population has been genetically altered in some fashion or another in the future. Then consider whether the practice is ethical or could be perceived as researchers playing God through their technological advancements. For decades, there have been countless progressions in the scientific field regarding genetic enhancements performed on an embryo. In the beginning, there were restrictions in place to disallow altering an embryo’s genetic profile for any reason other than to avoid a hereditary disease that would manipulate the child’s development. As time has progressed, scientists are now utilizing the procedures to tailor a child’s characteristics to the detailed specifications asserted

In K. Sorensen’s paper Genetic Enhancements and Expectations, he argues that there is an important distinction between genetic enhancements and environmental enhancements, in that parents have no settled expectations about genetic enhancements. I interpreted his argument as that what is so important about autonomy is that as a capable person of making sound decisions, these decisions are being made based on some sort of knowledge of the outcome. The full extent of enhancing an embryo’s genes has not been observed yet, so there is no knowledge as to what any of the outcomes could be, despite the expectations parents may have. I agree with Sorenson’s argument that there is an important distinction between the two practices of genetic and environmental enhancements, and that the genomic editing poses some serious ethical issues.

Despite experiments being conducted since the late 1900’s, it was until 1999 that genetic modification in humans was recognized. In September of 1999, James Wilson, founder and director of The University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Human Gene Therapy, attempted to genetically modify humans by injecting genes in patients blood. This form of genetic modification is not the same as PGM because in gene therapy they injected an adult with genes, while PGM is done embryonically. Wilson and his colleagues were finalizing their two-year clinical trial, of which they were attempting to treat a devastating disease called ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency(OTCD), the genetic disorder blocks nitrogen from being processed in the victim's body. The

In this paper I will be arguing that genetic engineering of embryos, genetic therapy, and genetic enhancement should be permissible. Genetic engineering is modifying an organism’s genetic makeup. There are two different methods in genetic engineering: genetic therapy and genetic enhancement. The two differ because genetic therapy serves to treat diseases, whereas genetic enhancement “go beyond” that of therapy. For example, an enhancement would be to use genetic engineering so that one’s child could have blue eyes instead of brown. Also, an enhancement could improve upon features that are deemed “abnormal” to the standard norm, such as deafness or depression. My first argument for genetic therapy is that this technology will be able to help cure serious genetic illnesses that would otherwise cause tremendous suffering. My second argument for genetic enhancement is it would eliminate the randomization of genes, so parents could decide what features their child should have.

Genetic engineering has constantly been a major point of focus in the world of science over several years. From 1989 to present day, many people have questioned not only the process, but the motives behind genetic engineering. Over the years, the term “designer baby” has made the transition from movie screens to dictionaries, where it is defined as “a baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with in vitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics.” “Designer baby” is the very term feared by many people for so many years; it’s controversial, it’s unethical, it’s destructive, it’s immoral. Many ideas related to this subject are constantly being challenged.

Does the U.S. prohibit genetic manipulation of human embryos? Twenty-nine countries prohibit genetic manipulation of human embryos except the U.S. (Adams 529). Marcy Darnovsky, who directs the Center for Genetics and Society, a nonprofit public interest organization in Berkeley, California, said, “The U.S. is the outlier-it’s the only scientifically advanced country that does not prohibit this” (Adams 538). In general, new genetic technologies like gene editing allow scientists to delete a mutant gene and insert a healthy gene. As these technologies are used in embryos, gene editing has the potential to eliminate inherited disease such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington’s disease (Adams

Genetic modification (GM) is the technology that has enabled to scientists to take genes from 1 species and put it into a completely different species, doing this has opened a whole new spectrum of science with unlimited possibilities.