In the motion picture Gattaca directed by Andrew Niccol questions the ability of allowing genetic potential, calculated by birth, to establish the fate of an individual. The determination of a person’s destiny proved impossible and preposterous as mankind were defined by their capability to make decisions on their own concerning their future. The film exhibits the problems in a genetically engineered society. Development of science technologies has advanced exceedingly to the extent where immediately after birth an infant’s destiny can be identified just by taking a blood sample. This gives a glimpse at the person’s future and the opportunity to discriminate: ‘…no longer determined by social status or the colour of your skin. We now have discrimination down to a science’. Society in Gattaca was divided into two classes valids and in-valids.
‘Gattaca is a story of triumph of the human spirit and triumph of the will’. Since birth, Vincent was disadvantaged with an invalid identity that deemed him unworthy of his father’s name. According to his DNA profile, Vincent will have a life void of any success. The belief that it is purely DNA that distinguishes a human being meant Vincent had unquestionably no chance in achieving his lifelong dream of space travel. Even Vincent’s biological family reiterated him of his incompetence to succeed: ‘Let’s be realistic… the only way you would see the inside of a spaceship is if you were cleaning it…’. Because of the capability of genetic perfection to intervene with his future, Vincent’s in-valid identity was unavoidable: ‘my real resume was in my cells’. However, Vincent did not allow his DNA that labeled him as an‘ invalid’ to define his future. Through his deep commitment in achieving his life...
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... mission several times, to ensure that the missions would continue. Moreover, Dr. Lamar’s ‘son was not all [science and technology] promised’. This is implementing the process of altering DNA is not always one hundred percent credible as Dr. Lamar’s son may have possibly been born with the genetic defects that were meant to be eradicated.
In conclusion, the technological advancements in the world of Gattaca to create a perfect society demonstrated the problems and flaws relating to fates ‘measured at birth’. It was obvious in order for an individual to thrive, it is their human will and spirit of character that are more important than their DNA. The film exhibits that no DNA structure could ever entirely determine a human being’s potential to begin with and that in allowing such action to take place only challenged the individuals’s control over their own life.
Bullying is a serious issue that can occur to various people of different age and background. It is considered a serious problem because of the long lasting health problems that comes with it. The many effects of bullying such as, depression and alcoholism can cause changes in our genes which can possibly be passed on to the future generations. In Sharon Moalem’s essay “Changing Our Genes: How Trauma, Bullying, and Royal Jelly Alter Our Genetic Destiny” he discussed about the effects of bullying on the victims and how it causes gene changes. It is important to know how to prevent bullying as the effects can influence a person mentally and genetically which can be passed on to future generations later on.
Gacy to seek out acceptance throughout his life and it also created a fascination with being in
In the movie Gattaca, the doctor said that Vincent would have heart failure and was looked down upon because of his disability. In the society today people would not like to be without control of their own life. In the book Brave New World and in the film Gattaca, both societies use genetic engineering to create the character’s destiny without the approval of the beholder.
Rather than leave genetics up to chance, technology offers expectant parents the opportunity to genetically enhance their children before they’re born. These genetically superior offspring are known as “valids” and are given the best opportunity in Gattaca’s society. For example, when Vincent, an invalid, borrows the identity of the valid Jerome Morrow, an interview to work for Gattaca consists only of a urine test. It’s assumed that his genes carry all his potential. There’s no need for him to answer questions his DNA can answer for him.
When one thinks of a society of genetically advanced individuals at first glance it might seem like an advantage, but upon taking a closer look you can see the flaws in these perfect people. The world of Gattaca is superficial and judgmental; the only way to measure the worth of a person is by the wholesomeness of one's blood. They do not know for sure that someone will die or develop a heart condition all they have to work with is a percentage of the chance of it happening. This brands the world of Gattaca as an unfit and inferior world than our own. When a society discriminates against a group of people they lose valuable and productive members of society. In Gattaca the hardest working, most driven person was someone that they thought should
In 1997, Andrew Niccol produced the movie GATTACA. The movie described a world with genetically modified humans, modified at birth to be the perfect child their parents always wanted. In the 1990s, the movie seemed like a science fiction fantasy, but recent advances in biomedical procedure have started to make it a reality. While a future full of genetic engineering may be an intriguing notion, the human genome should be left alone. Humans should not be tampered with.
To choose for their children, the world’s wealthy class will soon have options such as tall, pretty, athletic, intelligent, blue eyes, and blonde hair. Occasionally referred to as similar to “the eugenics of Hitler’s Third Reich” (“Designer Babies” n.p.), the new genetics technology is causing differences in people’s opinions, despite altering DNA before implantation is “just around the corner.” (Thadani n.p.). A recent advance in genetically altering embryos coined “designer babies” produces controversy about the morality of this process.
Firstly, a concerning issues related with the enhancement of characteristics through genetic means is discrimination in society. The text “Flowers for Algernon” epitomizes discrimination, where the protagonist Charlie Gordon undergoes a revolutionary change from his mental disability to a genius through an experimental surgery. Following the experiment, his intelligence escalates to a degree such that he progressively becomes isolated from the rest of society. Furthermore, Gordon explains his new intelligence to have “driven a wedge between [him] and all the people [he] once knew and loved” and expresses that “people don’t talk to [him] anymore and it makes [his] job lonely” (insert reference). This reveals a form of discrimination between the upper class and lower class individuals. Likewise, the film “Gattaca” depicts discrimination through the contrast of individual characters. The protagonist Vincent Freeman, is a naturally conceived baby who inherits a “99% probability [of developing] a heart disorder and a subsequent life expectancy of 30.2 years” (insert reference). In contrast, Vincent’s younger brother Anton has been artificially conceived providing him with physical advantages complemented with remarkable ...
In the film, two contrasting examples of genetic testing are shown. The first example is of the twins Noah and Alexis Beery, who are stricken with a rare disease that mimics cerebral palsy. Through genetic testing, doctors discovered that the twins could be treated with dopamine. By sequencing their entire genome, the twin’s lives were saved. The second example is Andrew S...
...cs and New Genetics” the ways that Factor X and human dignity spreads throughout society in the future show that it is the moral responsibility of society to continue to show others respect and dignity. Through the use of the pieces, “Human Dignity and Human Reproductive Cloning” by Steven Malby, “Genetic Testing and Its Implications: Human Genetics Researchers Grapple with Ethical Issues” by Isaac Rabino, and “Gender Differences in the Perception of Genetic Engineering Applied to Human Reproduction”,by Carol L. Napolitano and Oladele A. Ogunseitan, the decline on the amount of human dignity found in today's society as well as the regression in Factor X that can be found today compared to times past and how the increase in genetic engineering has greater caused for even more hurdles, for the spread of human dignity and Factor X to all members of society, to overcome.
With these new boundaries formed, eugenicists began their own “testing”, classifying people as either superior or inferior based on the size of their pocket book or their social connections. Families across the country rushed to be tested and deemed genetically fit, or otherwise...
Gacy to seek out acceptance throughout his life and it also created a fascination with being in
I chose the video” Cracking your genetic code” after i watched a bit of the intro. In this video it starts off talking about the future and to imagine what it would be like if we had our genetic codes and the risks our genetic codes may hold for our future. This video makes us think about what it would be like to have the technology to figure out what meds might or might not save our lives along with predicting any illness, disease or just to give us answers as to why things are happening in our bodies. We are then introduced to a little boy named andrew who has an illness nobody can figure out. They then go take a look at Andrews Genetic code by taking a blood sample where they process it and leave behind the genetic material called DNA.
This is the natural fallacy genetic engineering creates in the new world seen in Gattaca. We know this because in the film the main character, Vincent, who uses another man named Jerome Morrow’s D.N.A and identity to rise up the ranks within Gattaca’s staff. He does this because genetic engineering pre-determines every aspect of one’s life that is scientifically possible. This would include diseases, life expectancy, cause of death, jobs/careers you can have and even who you should marry all from a sample of blood given when first born. Vincent’s D.N.A to others deemed him chronically ill, making him invalid, meaning that there would be very little opportunities for him in life; though he felt he can do things just as well as anyone. It is in Gattaca that we can look at genetic engineering as determining one’s instrumental worth to
Savulescu, Julian. “Genetic Interventions and the Ethics of Human Beings.” Readings in the Philosophy of Technology. Ed. David Kaplan. 2nd ed. Lanham: Roman & Littlefield, 2009. 417-430.