Should Genetic Engineering Be Pursued?
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Should genetic engineering be pursued?
Genetic Engineering is a process where a harmful or disliked gene from an organism is replaced by a properly working or favored gene. Genetic engineering has promised to be a cure for genetic defects, cancer, and world hunger. The questions are: How ethical is genetic engineering? Will Genetic Engineering create more problems than it will fix? What will stop anyone from using this technology for bad rather than good?
Genetic Engineering is disliked for different reasons. According to a woman I discussed this topic with, “Alteration of genes is scientist attempt to take over the position of God!” Genetic Engineering goes against ethical and religious beliefs. We would be changing what God created in his image and what any organism is born with is what God wanted it to have. If God wanted us to fly he would have given us wings. The moral views of our society are so distorted because everything is about making more money, rather than about what is morally right. Second, the process of the engineering cant be completely controlled, meaning that the transferred gene cannot be controlled to make the appropriate amount of the gene product at the right place and time. Nor can we be sure that the insertion of the therapeutic gene does not harm some other necessary cell function. The effects could do more harm to the person than helpful.
Another reason why genetic engineering is looked down on is because some people believe that the ideal genetic makeup will lead to eugenics (Court). Eugenics is the same idea Hitler had for Nazi Germany, a race of people who are genetically superior to other non-altered races. Capital has a very strong influence on this because the preferred genes can be sold to the highest bidder. Also this technology could be used by the human race in a warfare situation. A genetically altered cancer could be placed into a retrovirus and released into a medical supply of insulin. If the cancer can now be spread by air and has a very short incubation time due to the genetic alteration, the effects could be cataclysmic.
It is understood that no one wants die of an extreme cancer created by some radical terrorists who decided that he didnt like the way he was treated during his childhood. Also, no one wants to die of a cancer caused by free radicals if there is a chance to live. The understanding here is that while the technology can be used in the production of biological weapons. The same process can be used to cure cancers that kill millions of people every day.
Americans pride themselves on being different. For example: who is smarter, stronger, or faster. Its part of being human. So its clear that some people would want to use genetic engineering to make them stronger, faster, and, smarter. Creating a superior race and leading the world into eugenics. However, if a family member had a car accident that caused them to become handicapped, in anyway, cutting their life short. If there was a chance that the injection of your altered genes could help reverses the effect, would you not want to assist your mother or brother?
Some Christian scientists feel they develop a deeper relationship