This is my first blogging website I am currently attending, and I noticed some current issues being posted.
The issue that I have to to be most fascinated with is the issue of genetically altering the fetus to have more desirable traits to the parents . Now the question is, is that practice right or is it wrong?
It seems ethical parents get to choose what traits they want their child to exhibit. A parent can want their child to have blue eyes and brown hair, also along with that they select what features they want the unborn child to have. Along with selecting phenotypes parents can alter the mental portion of the fetus's genetics. Perhaps the child is a carrier for the alcoholism gene sp they remove it, or maybe the parents are involved in a community church so they want the child to have the religious gene (which does exist according to some scientists). Its sort of sick an twisted in my opinion. Having someone choose who you are going to be and grow up to be, determining what you look like and believe is totally unethical because who's to say what you can and cannot believe obviously your parents. Some people are even practicing abortions because a child has Down's Syndrome or Aspergers Syndrome or any other form of autism what gives them the right. Yes it is devestating for the parents to have thier child go through a disease that effects them, but what is better killing them before they see the light of day or bearing through it no matter what. Is it justifided to "cure" such ailments or just not let them happen.
Now there is some positives to this wierd situation there is some medical benefits. One is there is cure to diseases such as Huntington's Disease and Cystic Fibrosis which are devestating in their own appeal. These diseases can be cured though by a simple alter to the genome and these diseases will not show up in the later life.
Now this medical advantage is not yet used in society but it still has potential to make into it in the years to come.
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I believe it is pretty unethical. I good parent would raise and care for their child no matter what, no matter who they are or what they look like. I think it is awful that parents abort children because they may be mentally disabled. I, personally, have always felt like I would have a child with Autism. Don't ask why, I think it may be the fact that I always work really well with mentally disabled kids and I feel a connection with them. I taught swim lessons to kids with disabilities and they are just so happy! I felt ten times happier after spending a half hour teaching a child to swim. I couldn't imagine that somebody would abort a child just because they may have a disability.
Also, where did you get this information?
I too agree...my theory is why would you want to spoil the beauty of the natural...why would you want to change something that is your flesh and blood? I don't get it...I think if you want something so perfect...then get a puppy...don't ruin who your child could really be..what if by genetically altering the child you are destroying some talent that would change the world...I just don't understand why anyone would want to
How many adults do you know that had their genetic makeup manipulated when they were but embryos? None, because the technology didn't exist when people who are now adults were embyos. But soon, the babies who are born after this manipulation will be adults, and we will realize that oops! splicing the "alcoholism" gene destroy's the brain's development of its mesolimbic reward pathway, and is thereby unable to release dopamine in the same way that a normal brain does, causing the person to have no desire to eat (for example). Or perhaps adjusting the gene that controls for skin pigmentation causes the person to be unable to have sexually viable children.
Fruitfly genetics is so complex, that even drosophila experts bang their heads against a wall sometimes. Human genetics is so complicated, that we have no idea what our tinkering will do later in the person's life, or in future generations.
But I don't think this is grounds for it to be considered "wrong." I think it is grounds to consider it unwise and unsafe and hasty, but we need to have a better idea about what we are doing before we start doing it. You watch: it's going to be a big Oops! in 30 or 40 years.
You should watch the movie "Gattaca." It is exactly about your entire post. It is also a good movie. :-)
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sawaboof
"...There is a crushing guilt that comes with being a Catholic. Whether things are good or bad or you're simply... eating tacos in the park, there is always the crushing guilt."
-30 Rock-