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Genetic Engineering: Is it right or wrong?
Is genetic engineering right or wrong? To answer these questions we need to define genetic engineering. It is the use of biotechnology to control the genes of an organism. Genetic engineering isn’t new. It has been with us for centuries. In those days, we used it for agriculture and selective breeding of animals. Our pets, especially dogs and cats are good example of selective breeding.
Genetic engineering has become so controversial lately, but why? This is because it raises ethical and ecological issues. For example, the topic of designer babies has been subject to so many debates. Should we have the right to decide what features our babies have? There are also questions like, if a transgenic animal with human DNA has degrees of intelligence that has never been seen before, Should these animals have rights? When we make huge advances, who will have access to this technology and how scarce will it be? What if a transgenic animal introduces a new disease into our world?
A featherless chicken has been selectively bred by scientist at the He...
One of the most necessary uses of genetic engineering is tackling diseases. As listed above, some of the deadliest diseases in the world that have yet to be conquered could ultimately be wiped out by the use of genetic engineering. Because there are a great deal of genetic mutations people suffer from it is impractical that we will ever be able to get rid of them unless we involve genetic engineering in future generations (pros and cons of genetic eng). The negative aspect to this is the possible chain reaction that can occur from gene alteration. While altering a gene to do one thing, like cure a disease, there is no way of knowing if a different reaction will occur at the cellular or genetic level because of it; causing another problem, possibly worse than the disease they started off with (5 pros and cons of gen. eng.). This technology has such a wide range of unknown, it is simply not safe for society to be condoning to. As well as safety concerns, this can also cause emotional trauma to people putting their hopes into genetic engineering curing their loved ones, when there is a possibility it could result in more damage in the
Genetic engineering has been around for many years and is widely used all over the planet. Many people don’t realize that genetic engineering is part of their daily lives and diet. Today, almost 70 percent of processed foods from a grocery store were genetically engineered. Genetic engineering can be in plants, foods, animals, and even humans. Although debates about genetic engineering still exist, many people have accepted due to the health benefits of gene therapy.
This paper goes over genetic engineering and how it is used today in the medical field as two types on humans, disabled genetic engineering and trait genetic engineering. This two types of genetic engineering are still debatable since they have to surpass many obstacles and laws. The sources gave statements from professionals and experts on genetic engineering, biomedical science, biomedical engineering, and human anatomy and physiology. The individuals gave their inputs on how they view genetic engineering on human beings.
Genetic Engineering has recently become a contentious topic within medical and social circles. Controversial topics such as Sex Selection and Designer Babies are linked to Genetic engineering. They are destructive in every circumstance. Genetic Engineering is detrimental towards the individual and all posterity.
Genes are, basically, the blueprints of our body which are passed down from generation to generation. Through the exploration of these inherited materials, scientists have ventured into the recent, and rather controversial, field of genetic engineering. It is described as the "artificial modification of the genetic code of a living organism", and involves the "manipulation and alteration of inborn characteristics" by humans (Lanza). Like many other issues, genetic engineering has sparked a heated debate. Some people believe that it has the potential to become the new "miracle tool" of medicine. To others, this new technology borders on the realm of immorality, and is an omen of the danger to come, and are firmly convinced that this human intervention into nature is unethical, and will bring about the destruction of mankind (Lanza).
Genetic engineering is the intended modification to an organism’s genetic makeup. There have been no continuing studies on this topic or action so there is no telling whether or not it is harmless. Genetic engineering is not safe because scientists have no absolute knowledge about living systems. Given that, they are unable to do DNA surgery without creating mutations. Any interference on an organism’s genetic makeup can cause permanent damage, hereditary defects, lack of nutritious food, or a spread of dangerous diseases.
Genetic engineering gives the power to change many aspects of nature and could result in a lot of life-saving and preventative treatments. Today, scientists have a greater understanding of genetics and its role in living organisms. However, if this power is misused, the damage could be very great. Therefore, although genetic engineering is a field that should be explored, it needs to be strictly regulated and tested before being put into widespread use. Genetic engineering has also, opened the door way to biological solutions for world problems, as well as aid for body malfunctions. I think that scientists should indeed stop making genetic engineering for humans, because it will soon prove to be devastating to the human race. It would cause rivalries and tension among different kinds of genetically engineered humans for dominance and power.
Genetic and Biological engineering are just a few of the plethora of types of engineering that are rapidly evolving and expanding their horizons. Many advancements have been made in the field and the community is divided when it comes to the issue of whether or not we should use such technology or what the limits of the technology are. It is imperative to find a solution to this issue or to create regulations because everyone currently does not agree on what should be done about the issue and this could very much morph into a dangerous situation. Many researchers and scientists use their research to formulate their opinions and to persuade the general public while human rights activists use their beliefs, emotions, and possible scenarios
As the rate of advancements in technology and science continue to grow, ideas that were once viewed as science fiction are now becoming reality. As we collectively advance as a society, ethical dilemmas arise pertaining to scientific advancement, specifically concerning the controversial topic of genetic engineering in humans. Human genetic engineering increasingly causes dissonance between various groups of scientific and religious groups of people in regards to if we should or should not ‘play god’ and attempt to modify humans for the better of the race. First, let’s take a look at what exactly genetic engineering is; according to, yourgenome.org, “Genetic engineering refers to the direct manipulation of DNA to alter an organism’s
The advent of genetic engineering leads to many medical and agricultural innovations that benefit the world. From preventing/curing diseases, to increasing agriculture production, the miraculous effects of genetic engineering are the next step in evolution for the scientific community. The benefits of such powerful technology may seem like science fiction, however, it is very possible that genetic engineering may become an everyday occurrence in the years to come. However, such advancements in technology, especially since genetic engineering is in its infancy, often have questionable ethical concerns. Ethical concerns such as human rights, equal distribution, and long-term outcomes/effects, often appear as important areas of discussion for those who question the morality that is involved in genetic engineering. Three ethical concerns pertaining to genetic engineering are Eudaimonistic Utilitarianism, Libertarianism, and Distributive Justice. Eudaimonistic Utilitarianism can be described as
In conclusion and my personal opinion, genetic engineering could lead to a technically better and more advanced world despite the fact that it suffers from deep moral downfalls. The main issue that causes debate seems to be if artificial superiority is a viable alternative to nature. It could work in society if people only used it for things such as evading cancer, but if a new social class is formed or people start creating super humans, it’s unquestionably a problem.
Additionally, from a utilitarian view, medical genetic engineering is furthering the greater good of the human population by bringing more good into the world. It is not harming anyone and it is giving any future offspring the chance and opportunity to live a healthier life free of serious, preventable, medical complications. In the case of most diseases, genetic engineering seems intuitively right. For example, when someone has a treatable medical condition, refusing to cure to him seems fundamentally unethical. If we are able to lessen someone’s suffering, why would we not?
After reading this book, I thought this book was really amazing. This book made some really good points that I had never known before. The author informed the readers everything they needed to know about genetic engineering. Also, this book did a really good job at clearing all the questions I had before. The most impressive part of the book was how it was organized. It was very neat in the fact that each subject in this book was set up with a negative and a positive. That way when there are opposing arguments, the readers get to experience different viewpoints. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about genetic engineering.
The moral conflicts put aside, the process of genetic engineering is difficult. Changing the proteins in people’s body differently is an unnatural action. Scientists state that genetic engineering only works 50% of the time. Also, when a new gene is placed in the gene code, there will be various mutations that will definitely result in change but may not be for the better.
Genetic engineering seems decades away, but through modern technology, it has recently entered the human realm. Some believe genetic engineering will bring forth great advancements in the human brain and body, but instead some believe one mistake creates a world where every child will be genetically engineered just to keep up with the rest of society. Many times, the media plays a very strong role in the image of this issue, and masks the true identity of this social injustice. However, what forms of genetic engineering can be done in humans today? What is in store for the future? What are the risks and what could be the possible benefits? Currently gene therapy is one of the only ways to change the genetic makeup of an animal or human. Also,