Sience is bringing to us so many new and great opportunities. Genetic engineering is one of these new opportunities, but not eveyone believes that it is very great. The topic of genetic engineering has brought much conflict to our society. Where should we draw the line? I believe that if we could eliminate diseases and sicknesses then we should do that. When we begin to use this opportunity for cosmetic reasons, rather than medical reasons, then it has gone too far.
There are some positive medical ways that genetic engineering can be used in our society. Using this to eliminate certain sicknesses is a great opportunity for our society. The embryos can be screened for sickness such as cystic fibrosis or if it has a risk of cancer. This could potentially keep many people from having cancer or other serious sicknesses. Why bring someone into the world knowing that they are going to have cystic fibrosis, or have a good chance of having cancer. If the child is going to have a sickness they may not even live inside the mother, or they will be very sick when they come out and may not even live for long. It would be better to stop the embryo from becoming a child if we know it is not going to be healthy.
Genetic engineering also allows couples to have babies who are not able to have them on their own. Everybody should b e able to have their own child. Genetic engineering makes that possible. Having a child is probaby on of the most amazing experiences a person will go through, and genetic engineering allows anyone to be able to experience that.
Although there are some very positive things about genetic engineering, the society needs to think about how far is too far. It is good to use genetic engineering for medical reasons, but when society begins using to for cosmetic reason then we have gone too far. If a couple is trying to bring a child into the world, they should only be worrying about having a healthy child. They should not be worrying about what their child is going to look like. If everyone could choose what their child looked like, it would just lead to more than that. They would then start wanting to choose their skills are how smart they are. If sociey puts no limits to genetic engineering, then it could have very bad results. There would probably end up being no competition in society. There would be no strive for people to better themselves because they would already be perfect. They would be created with perfect good looks and talent and they would never strive for anything better. People would end up being pretty much the same. Society may even end up being like Brave New World. People would have no freedom to think what they want or to be what they want to be. Our society would be so boring.
Genetic engineering can provide us with great help in our society, but there needs to be a limit put on what we can do with it. Once we start using it to make our babies good looking, or using it for any cosmetic reasons, we probably are not going to stop there and it will get out of control. Genetic engineering is good for our society if it is limited strictly to medical uses only.
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6 comments:
Genetic engineering is controversial. It is one of those topics that challenges writers because it requires that we be precise and use terms carefully. As we write, we do not know the background, attitudes, and knowledge of the readers. We want to be sure our thoughts and positions are not misunderstood.
So often students write for the teacher and classmates, often after some discussion. When outsiders read, they have only the text. The don't know anything about the author of the blog.
You write: "Having a child is probaby on of the most amazing experiences a person will go through, and genetic engineering allows anyone to be able to experience that." Well.....does this mean that eventually men are going to be able to have babies?
When you write, "People would have no freedom to think what they want or to be what they want to be. Our society would be so boring."
You make me wonder who would be in charge. Who would decide the genetic pattern for the child? Would it be the parents, a group of scientists, some gov. officials?
And, what makes the perfect embryo and eventually child? If I am Chinese, do I want my child to look like someone from Hati? Maybe...but generally I think I would want him/her to look Chinese. So does the Irish couple put in a bid for an Irish looking kid?
Do you think we will be able to genetically engineer the mind?
This issue is very controversial and I like how you choose to have the ability to genetic engineer but that it needs limitations. It would be amazing if we could prevent disease and put an end to the suffering. I like your predictions of people using it for cosmetic reasons and what it could lead to, that perfect race, such as Hitler tried to do. As you noted that it could lead to a perfect society such as Brave New World. Who knows where it might end up going but that is a possibility. I also liked your point about people being able to have children who once weren't able to do so. Having a child is an experience that lasts a life time and no one should be prevented from enjoying that experience. I enjoyed reading your paper about your opinion!
I also think that genetic engineering is good with limitations. I like how you pointed out the superficial cosmetic aspect of engineering. Very good arguments (even though I'm a little biased because I have the same opinion.)
to theteach.
When I wrote that about everyone being able to experience having their own child, I was referring really to couples who are looking to have babies, so yes that does include men. It could also be a gay or lesbian couple as well.
I didn't think about who would be in charge. For the most part, my essay was referring to parents choosing what their children looked like, so I guess it would be the parents who would choose the genetic pattern of the child.
Well the perfect embryo depends on what the person wants their child to look like, so if you are irish you would probably choose to make your kid look irish.
to b3astoftheeast
I do think genetic engineering would be very good with limitations, because as you said, if we do not have limitations it could end up to lead to something like Hitler tried. And I really do believe that everyone should have the chance to have a child so genetic engineering would allow people to do that.
to swimmer77
I believe that genetic engineering would eventually lead to engineering people cosmetically. That is not what it should be about. When you want a child you should want it to be healthy and thats all you should worry about, not how pretty or athletic he is.
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