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Designer babies argumentative essay
What are the ethics of designer babies
What are the ethics of designer babies
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One of the most controversial issues in science today is the idea of “Designer Babies”. What is a “Designer Baby”? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a designer baby is an embryo “whose genetic make-up” has been chosen by parents or scientists “in order to eradicate a particular defect”. This will allow it to be certain that specific genes are present or eliminated. This has created an ethical issue to many, and has begun to spark questions for heated debate. Do designer babies increase the amount of abortions per year? Are designer babies upheld by a strong moral background? Since our technology is new and constantly developing, is the creation of designer babies risky to the mother and embryo? Are humans attempting to “play God”? All the questions posed by this newfound process are forcing scientists into new fields of research, constantly allowing for rapid advancement of technology and knowledge on the topic of reproduction. However, in my opinion, the idea of designer babies is fascinating and I believe that designer babies will allow for an advancement in human knowledge of genetics, will allow for a decrease in genetically inherited diseases, and will increase the human life span. …show more content…
Particular areas of genetics remain a mystery to many scientists. Designer babies provide a solution to answering many of these questions that are still researched today. For example, why is sickle-cell anemia more apparent in people of African descent? By producing designer babies, scientists will be able to specifically produce certain cells to prevent sickle-cell anemia from ever occurring. Also, by being able to understand how diseases are passed down over the course of many generations, scientists and geneticists will be able to pinpoint specific genetic sequences that will enable them to find treatments and cures for diseases that were once
Designer babies are just like any other child and will grow up just as any other child will. The only difference between designer and normal babies are that designer babies are genetically modified. The genetic modifications would ideally include immunity to illnesses, choice of sex, physical characteristics, and mental and physical capabilities. The genetic modifications could be as little or as extensive as the parent would like but the doctors in charge would be able to recommend certain modifications in order to combat certain common family diseases. All of this would ultimately lead into more popular genes being passed down to the children and less and less modifications will be needed. This is able to be done because DNA or genes are the basis of all characteristics in organisms. As of yet, humans lack the technology and ...
After the discovery of genetically altering an embryo before implantation, “designer babies” was coined to describe a child genetically altered “to ensure specific intellectual and cosmetic characteristics.” (“Designer Babies” n.p.). This procedure combines genetic engineering and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to make sure certain characteristics are absent or present in an embryo (Thadani n.p.). The procedure also includes taking an embryo to be pre-implementation genetically diagnosed (PGD), another procedure that doctors use to screen the embryos (Stock n.p.). An embryo’s DNA goes through multiple tests to obtain an analysis of the embryo, which will list all the components of the embryo including genetic disorders and physical traits such as Down syndrome, blue eyes, and brown hair, for instance (Smith 7). Although the use of PGD is widely accepted by the “reproductive medical community” and the modifying of disorders or diseases is to a degree, once the characteristics are no longer health related “72% disapprove of the procedure” (“Designer Babies” n.p.). At this point the parents make decisions that would alter their child’s life forever and this decision is rather controversial in the U...
In recent years, great advancement has been made in medicine and technology. Advanced technologies in reproduction have allowed doctors and parents the ability to screen for genetic disorders (Suter, 2007). Through preimplantation genetic diagnosis, prospective parents undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) can now have their embryo tested for genetic defects and reduce the chance of the child being born with a genetic disorder (Suter, 2007). This type of technology can open the door and possibility to enhance desirable traits and characteristics in their child. Parents can possibly choose the sex, hair color and eyes or stature. This possibility of selecting desirable traits opens a new world of possible designer babies (Mahoney,
However , a gap in society could corrupt. Creating classes that distinguish designer babies from those that are not. Creating a kid versus a natural born kid could
What do one think of when they hear the words “Designer Babies”? A couple designing their own baby of course, and it’s become just that. Technology has made it possible for there to be a way for doctors to modify a babies characteristics and its health. Genetically altering human embryos is morally wrong, and can cause a disservice to the parents and the child its effecting.
Genetic engineering is nothing new. “Genetic engineering refers to a set of technologies that are being used to change the genetic makeup of cells and move genes across species boundaries to produce novel organisms” (“What is Genetic Engineering?”). Using genetic engineering will allow parents to choose what traits their child will have. For example, the color of the child’s eyes, skin, and hair will be decided. As well as choosing the height of the baby and weight it will be able to be.
Picture a young couple in a waiting room looking through a catalogue together. This catalogue is a little different from what you might expect. In this catalogue, specific traits for babies are being sold to couples to help them create the "perfect baby." This may seem like a bizarre scenario, but it may not be too far off in the future. Designing babies using genetic enhancement is an issue that is gaining more and more attention in the news. This controversial issue, once thought to be only possible in the realm of science-fiction, is causing people to discuss the moral issues surrounding genetic enhancement and germ line engineering. Though genetic research can prove beneficial to learning how to prevent hereditary diseases, the genetic enhancement of human embryos is unethical when used to create "designer babies" with enhanced appearance, athletic ability, and intelligence.
Institute of Biological Sciences. (n.d.). Designer Babies: Ethical Considerations (ActionBioscience). ActionBioscience - promoting bioscience literacy. Retrieved July 8, 2010, from http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/agar.html?print
From genetic engineering scientist were able to come with a reproductive medicine to help women who could not have kids, conceive and bear children(Designer baies,para.1).Genetic engineering could also help wipe out some of the most serve diseases among babies. For instant, Cystic Fibrosis is a deadly disease with no cure but through genetic engineering it can be cured (Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering,par.1). Using genetic engineering for this purpose allow for babies to be healthy and strong, which is more important than the looks of the child.This also allows for not only more babies, but for them to live longer by curing
The question is present to many people when talking about it, “What is a designer baby?” A designer baby is a baby whose genetic makeup has been selected in order to eradicate a particular defect, or to ensure that a particular gene is present (Oxford Dictionary). Designer babies can be seen as a disgrace or as a genetic miracle.
Genetic research on human embryos, in correlation with the human genome, is the key to gene therapy, genetic diagnosis, and even to genetically engineered human beings. Knowing which gene controls what trait and causes what genetic disease will arm doctors with a powerful tool to treat their patients at the molecular level. On the other hand, this allows people to possibly manipulate genes to enhance specific traits or create the perfect baby. Genetic research on human embryos has two implications. A practical one in therapeutic research (to detect, and hopefully correct gene flaws), and then the potentiality of allowing parents to decide how their child should look (or in an extreme word, eugenics). The former, which at the present is wishful thinking, will be a reality in the future if the technology becomes feasible.
A designer baby is a child who is genetically modified for the purpose of removing any defects that are genetically linked, and/or to select certain genes that appeal to the parents. This process of creating designer babies is called genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is the alteration of DNA by adding and/or removing certain genes. Since the discovery of human genetic modification, scientists have proposed the idea of
Human genetic engineering can provide humanity with the capability to construct “designer babies” as well as cure multiple hereditary diseases. This can be accomplished by changing a human’s genotype to produce a desired phenotype. The outcome could cure both birth defects and hereditary diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Human genetic engineering can also allow mankind to permanently remove a mutated gene through embryo screening, as well as allow parents to choose the desired traits for their children. Negative outcomes of this technology may include the transmission of harmful diseases and the production of genetic mutations.
Parents all have the tendency to want what is best for their children so that they can be in a perfect condition. Designer babies have become a popular topic today. Even though designer babies can be used to create a parent’s perfect child, many still have concerns. Designer babies can have both negative and positive effects; however, reports have only showed them having negative effects on our society. Doctors all believe that designing a baby can not only put the baby at risk, however, also our future society. The process of creating designer babies has not yet been reassured, which have only left doctors and others afraid of going through with this process. Designing a baby may seem easy, however the effects that these babies will bring, can only harm our society.
Many debilitating and severe unwanted diseases, genetic disorders and disabilities can be avoided through the creation of designer babies. A child's quality of life would be drastically increased if they evade Down Syndrome, deformities or heart disease for example. In a sense, it isn’t all that different to hearing aid, medication for an illness or chemotherapy for cancer, but on a larger scale and earlier in someone’s life, before it even really begins in fact. Some people would argue that changing genes is changing who people are, which they view as ‘wrong’, but genes aren’t exactly the only things that make up a person anyway. The way that they grow up and their surroundings also make people...