Are we going too far?
As technology becomes more advance, we start to interfere with things that are “supposedly” to be beyond human control. One of the major areas would be modifying genetics. Media use the term designer babies to describe babies whose traits were modified in embryos and were given desirable traits.
How far can our technology go?
It is true that our technology for genetics have advanced at a rapid rate for the past few years. There are many movies created to over exaggerate the outcome of genetic enhancement, such as Gattaca. The media even started creating terms such as “designer babies” to describe this frightening scenario if this were to happen. If we take a step away from all our imagination and from all those sci-fi movies, we have watched and think. What is it that we can do with genetics right now? Currently one of the advanced reproductive techniques we have is called InVitro Fertilisation (IVF) which is used to fertilise eggs with sperm in a test tube outside the mother’s body to reduce the chance that a child will be born with genetic disorder. The embryo is then introduced into the womb. Another technology already used by wealthy people is Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) which is used to prevent passing serious genetic disorder to children. PGD does not count as modification of human embryos so it is much safer than IVF. Though we do not have the technology to put certain traits on babies, but we can select the sex of the baby and currently working on selecting eye colour. Though there are many other possible things we could do to alternate genetics, the government has limited this field by making it illegal replace faulty DNA with healthy ones on human beings.
This is all great! Or not...
MUST WATCH!!!!!
Wouldn’t it be awesome if children grew up to be extra healthy, extra smart, long lifespan, or even resistant to bacteria? Who wouldn’t want that? It would be the greatest thing that will happen to mankind... or not. If this were to happen, this will bring end to our social arrangement, as well as social equality, and possibly the same scenario suggested by the movie Gattaca. In this Sci-Fi movie, human were able to alternate the genetics of children to select favourable traits to put into children as result creating super enhanced humans. The result caused by genetic altering is totally unimaginable, unenhanced people were viewed as genetic inferiority and were looked down against. Normal people could no longer perform certain jobs, and were discriminated against in many ways. I went past the movie and imagined if designer babies were introduced in our generation, what will happen? Guess who would get hold of this advance technology? That’s right the wealthy people, and that’s why in the previous paragraph I have bolded the word wealthy. If the wealthy people were to get hold of this technology what will happen? This will completely separate us two social groups; the enhanced “superior” human, and the normal “inferior” humans. The normal humans can no longer compete with the “superior” group in any way, and those who can’t afford genetic enhancement would be looked down against.
Should we be doing this?
Beside the argument CAN we do this, comes the argument SHOULD we do this? The big argument that comes with genetic enhancement is that is all this ethnical? Like all arguments made there are two sides, and both side provides good argument.
For argument against genetic enhancement: Actions caused by Hitler have caused horror to many, as one man’s desire of creating perfect race had lead to the death of many. Could we too be the source that will cause to death of millions if we continue in pursue perfection and go into the extent of altering genetics. When messing with genetics, we can not only think about what we can do, but instead on what will happen if we do this. We should focus on every aspect, such as what will happen to world’s population, what will happen to world’s gender (certain gender is preferred over others in certain areas). Many believe that children are unique people with their own dignity and status which should be valued for who they are and we should not try to change their uniqueness by altering their genetics. They believe that love for a baby should be unconditional and rather than based on what they can do with their life. What happens if the parents spend a lot of money just to find out their designer baby doesn’t live up their expectation. Would they give up on the baby?
For argument for genetic enhancement: Argues that it is a pain for many parents to force to see their child suffer disease and sometimes children die. If we have the technology to change their genetics to prevent the disease why wouldn’t we? With genetics we could create new possibilities, cure disease and much more, if we have this power why shouldn’t we do this? We shouldn’t be scared to experience new things but instead embrace it and create new possibility.
My opinion:
I’m pretty sure everyone is tired of reading this long blog so I’ll end this with my opinion on this complex subject. Obviously we all want to help children with a serious genetic disorder but where do we draw the line to decide what we should be able to do with genetic enhancements. Who should be able to decide that, and if we do decide to help the children with serious genetic disorder what do we do about the current adults with genetic disorder? So what about other illness? Even if the government were to draw a line, it would cause controversy all over the world, and it would be unfair to certain people if genetic enhancement were introduced. If this were introduced, the main concern should be what could be done so that everyone is treated equally. Do we have the money to provide genetic enhancement to everyone? We are not sure what will happen in the future, and messing around with genetics may result many problems. We might even introduce new viruses into the world by modifying genetics. What I believe is that there are certain things we, humans shouldn’t mess with. As a Christian I believe certain things on earth are part of God’s plan and messing with it is not wise. God have made us all unique for a reason, and by altering genetics, we are in a way denying God’s plan for this planet. Even the pope have condemned the idea of designer baby because it's unethical. I agree that there are benefits to this technology, and by all means if we can cure children’s disease we should. But changing height, intelligence and anything else affecting our uniqueness should be out of our hands.
http://www.bionetonline.org/English/content/db_cont1.htm
http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/agar.html
http://www.arhp.org/uploadDocs/cloning.pdf#search=%22human%20cloning%22
http://www.qub.ac.uk/methics/McIlwaineC.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C0MR5egORA
