Dangerous Knowledge: Genetic Engineering

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Recommended: the potential abuse of genetic engineering

Some knowledge can be dangerous. The recent surge in technological advancements makes this evident, as new methods of improving human life through science loom on the horizon. Even today, some methods of altering an organism’s genetic makeup exist, becoming more and more advanced with each day. Such knowledge holds power, and if people use it in the wrong ways, it can mean dire consequences. But while powerful, not all knowledge means danger. There can be much benefit to gain from new techniques, such as the ability to alter the human genome. But even then, many question the morals of genetic experimentation, and some want to rid the world of it completely. Should questionable ethics be grounds to stop research in this particular field? Most definitely not. Modern scientific progress, such as genetic engineering could solve many of the problems that humans face daily.
Genetic Engineering refers to the study of manually adding new DNA into an organism, usually to attain traits that would not normally be found in it. DNA molecules act as a basic building block to every organism. DNA could also be referred to as an enormous cookbook, with individual genes being recipes for different items. When a new gene, or recipe, becomes introduced, the host body makes the trait expressed by the new protein. Today, scientists use this method for any number of projects, ranging from creating plants with natural pesticides all the way to glow-in-the-dark cats. One of the most important and controversial experiments in genetic engineering is the ability to alter a human’s genetic makeup in order to cure diseases, even before birth. A major technique in this form of genetic engineering is CRISPR, or, “clustered regularly interspaced short palindrom...

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