As we progress into the future, new topics arise, new inventions are upon us, and new advances in medicine are being discovered. Recently there has been a lot of talk in the news about stem cell research and trying to clone humans. Animals already have been cloned and it is a matter of time before humans can be created by cloning. As research furthers with stem cells, the question arises, should parents be able to genetically design their children? I believe that parents should not be able to do so.
First to start off, there is a positive aspect to genetically designing a child. By doing so you can rid your child of cancer. As in Nancy Gibbs article, "Wanted: Someone to Play God" she talks about how a couple can screen out embryos for cystic fibrosis and cancer risks. Now this sounds like a wonderful idea, birth survival rates would increase, and life expectancy as well. But in a way this takes away from being able to conquer obstacles of life. Many cancer surviving patients can say with confidence that they are stronger as a person after beating cancer. And those that have done so or may have lost the battle, don’t take life for granted. They live everyday to the fullest and enjoy it more than anyone could imagine. The positive aspects of genetically engineering are completely out weighed by the negative aspects though.
If genetically engineering a child becomes legal, no longer will there be uniqueness to the children that are born. Not before long everyone would be looking the same, in a long term way it would create a superior race. No one is going to want a child that people would think less of because of the way they look, so naturally they would want the best they can provide for their child. And to do so, they would engineer their child to look like others, to be accepted into society with as much ease as possible. Conformity though would begin to take over, non-conformity would be an idea of the past. As I see in Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, their society seems perfect on the outside but truly it is not. They are made to believe that they are happy, that life is wonderful. But they are not free, they belong to the community, they can not be themselves. Their lives and everything about them are structured. It is only a matter of time before genetically engineering children turns into creating perfect societies. History shows the attempt of creating so called utopian communities but never can perfection be achieved. As Nancy Gibbs stated, "We are on a road toward reproduction that does not require eggs and sperm at all." Taking away that experience of creating a baby would be devastating, it is a part of life that brings joy to a couple for now they are not just a couple, but a complete family.
Genetically engineering children can take away cancers, thus allowing people to live longer, but life would be taken for granted. Nothing would be appreciated. Positive in a way but also negative. Then you have the idea of conformity taking over, a superior race rising above others. No one would be themselves anymore, uniqueness would be an idea of the past. Possibly you even have the creation of a society where everyone is the same, people would become drones. I believe firmly that parents should not be able to genetically engineer their children.
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7 comments:
This is one of those topics that challenges the writer because it requires preciseness and careful use of terms and knowledge because we do not know the background, attitudes, and knowledge of the readers.
You write that by "genetically designing a child,....you can rid your child of cancer." This assumes that if genetic engineering is not used, the child will develop cancer. Do you think genetic engineering could prevent all cancer? I am intrigued by this because it seems that we might be able to stop evolution.
What happens to evolution if we begin genetically designing all embryos?
I too think that getting rid of the threat of cancer is about the only good think to come out of this. Having everyone look the same will only cause problems. good job on your essay
Overall I agree. I think that there are definately some very positive aspects partaining to removing cancer and other detrimental illnesses, but I do feel that the negatives would strongly outweigh the positives over time. Great paper!
theteach - You asked me the question, “What happens to evolution if we begin genetically designing all embryos?” Well I think that possibly it would become a competition between parents to make their child perfect as can be. Parents would want the best for their child and by creating them perfectly they may believe that is the solution. Then you would have other parents competing to make their child better than the other children. And soon that perfect child is going to look just like all the children and before you know it were going to have a society in which everyone will be identical. It would create this superior race, you can compare that to what Hitler tried to do by wanting to create a pure Aryan race.
Papa Bear - Yes by having everyone look the same it would defiantly have problems. Before you know it everyone would be identical and we would end up creating a superior race. Our world would turn to conformity as parents try and create their children perfectly. They would want their children to be just as good as any other child. I feel that it would become a competition between parents, sort of like a game. And the creation of children should not become a game, it needs to be cherished for I am sure it is a wonderful experience.
The Jaguar - I’m glad you feel the same way. This issue is a issue in which is not easy to choose one side or the other cause it has positives but then also has negatives. I’m sure many people would be undecided. But I feel though that the negatives would defiantly outweigh the positives. Yes it would be amazing if we could rid the world of cancer, many people would be saved. But in the end when everyone is the same, the world has conformed, and a superior race is created, I don’t think that it would had been the right choice. Before you know it everyone would be drones and freedom would be on the verge of destruction. Such as in Brave New World, they knew nothing of the word or idea of freedom as John threw the soma out the window.
B3astOfTheEast writes, "Parents would want the best for their child and by creating them perfectly they may believe that is the solution. Then you would have other parents competing to make their child better than the other children. And soon that perfect child is going to look just like all the children and before you know it were going to have a society in which everyone will be identical."
You assume that parents will have the same ideas as to what makes the children perfect. Not all parents think blond hair and blue eyes represent perfection. Some parents may want star athletes, while others will want scientists or teachers. Hitler has his ideas, but those who opposed him did not agree.
How many decades do you think it will take to create the perfect society?
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