“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic or fiction.” -Arthur C. Clarke
Comments on designer babies
Advanced reproductive techniques involve using in vitro fertilization to fertilize eggs with sperm in 'test-tubes' outside the mother's body in a laboratory. These techniques allow doctors and parents to reduce the chance that a child will be born with a genetic disorder. The first involves choosing the type of sperm that will fertilize an egg: this is used to determine the sex and the genes of the baby. The second technique screens embryos for a genetic disease: only selected embryos are implanted back into the mother's womb.
In vitro fertilization
Process of saving lives through designer babies
Conception of designer babies is a very controversial topic. Therapy is justifiable but enhancement is not. Just like in the show Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, the genetically enhanced will look down on those who were not and God forbid an all out war will break out. In reality, these processes are very expensive, meaning only the wealthy would be protected from inherited diseases and disabilities, and the discrimination against those with disabilities and the non-disabled, the poor and the rich would greatly rise, as if there wasn’t already a big gap in society. Human DNA has never experienced any type of re-structuring, the possibilities of problems would greatly rise. Genetically engineering designer babies would compel us to think of each other as products or devices rather than people. What's the point of living if we're already genetically 'perfect'? Our lives would be dull. There won't be any challenges, no more triumphs, no more struggles, no more high's or low's. Our lives would be like a roller coaster without loops and drops. Just imagine how boring that would be. Life as we know would be challengeless and victory will be tasteless.
Juss imagine if everybody in the world looked the same.
Abortion and conception of designer babies are similar in a way that there is a debate about the rights of the baby. Pro-lifers believe that the fetus should be free to not be genetically modified. Some tests have been proven to be successful but many have also failed. When the test fails the subject is discarded, which essentially is a human being because it was already concevied. Therefore it is depicting the act of murder or abortion.
As of now, some methods of creating designer babies are considered illegal and condemned. The Declaration of Helsinki states:
It is recognised that when the research participant is incompetent, physically or mentally incapable of giving consent, or is a minor (Articles 23, 24), then allowance should be considered for surrogate consent by an individual acting in the subject's best interest.
The subject, arguablly being a human and fits into the category of being uninformed of the medical procedures and incapable of making his/her own decisions. The American Association for the Advancement of Science concludes that this biotechnology "cannot presently be carried out safely and responsibly on human beings" and that "pressing moral concerns" have been addressed.
Technologies that are developed from genetical engineering include: in vitro fertilization, cures for diseases and cloning of extinct species etc.
Genetic engineering can be seen as an act of playing God. We are taking His role for our own purposes. In a way we are deciding who is more worthy to live and die. Genetic engineering is a very controversial act. It is true when it is said that...
“Humanity is acquiring the right technology for the wrong reasons.” – R. Buckminster Fuller
Do these look like they need altering? 'If it ain't broken don’t fix it.'
Work Cited
Joanne Lynch. "How safe is in vitro fertilization (IVF)? - by Joanne Lynch - Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. http://www.helium.com/items/1360972-ivf-icsi-embryos-in-vitro-fertilization.
Mark S. Frankel & Audrey R. Chapman. American Association for the Advancement of Science. Web. http://www.aaas.org/spp/sfrl/projects/germline/report.pdf.
Nicholas Agar. "Designer Babies: Ethical Considerations (ActionBioscience)." ActionBioscience - promoting bioscience literacy. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/agar.html.
"Office of Human Subjects Research." OHSR. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. http://ohsr.od.nih.gov/guidelines/Helsinki.html.
Priya Johnson. "Pros and Cons of Designer Babies." Buzzle Web Portal: Intelligent Life on the Web. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-designer-babies.html.
First of all nice blog, great points and good arguments.
ReplyDeleteIn your blog, you have said we can currently select gender as well preventing genetic disorder, but did you know that we could almost determine eye color too? It was said by Jeff Steinberg (director of fertility institute) that by next year we could determine eye color with 80% efficiency. We are heading in the direction of selecting traits and we shouldn't pretend that this isn't happening but is this right? Where should we draw the line.I'm all for help prevent genetic disorder of children but selecting physical feature? Are we going too far with that?
Like you have said If it isn't broken don't fix it.
Nice Blog. This entire subject is one giant moral question. "So now we have the technology, should we use it?" Science says might as well, apparently "god" says NO (though he doesn't really specify why.)In my opinion, it's okay. But the is a certain line that must not be crossed. We shouldn't start creating humans for certain purposes, especially not physical, that some sort of injustice. That would be something close to what we do with animals, breeding them to be faster or even produce more milk(cows). For cosmetic purposes, I say, "hey, might as well have pretty babies." -Richie Ramgobind
ReplyDeleteAnd as for your final line.
Yes "it's" not broken, but "it" sure does malfunction quite often.
Hey Timothy, I like when you wrote: "The process of making designer babies can reduce the baby's chances of being born with several serious diseases like Down Syndrome, rare blood disorders, etc. This ensures the continuity of our species and a healthy community."
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder if we will ever have a loss of doctors because of this... Thus creating a downfall in the economy and plenty of people around the world would be left without jobs. Since major health issues wouldn't be a problem, you'd probably end up going to a tiny shack for medicine for colds and such. All in all, I think your blog has many good points about things I knew (which you helped me brush up on), and things I didn't know.
-Girgis
I really like you ending quote "If they ain't broken, don't fix it". But, would that count if the baby were to contract a disease during birth or later life. I've read that process of producing designer babies can allow to screen possible future defects on the baby and rid of faults. Are we allowed to "fix" what we know will be "broken". But, I do completely agree with all this. I for one don't support any of this genetic engineering on babies or abortion. I believe it's wrong for anyone to toy with another one's life.If God made them that way, it should that way. All we know that god has a plan for them. We don't need all this plastic surgery and stuff to change us. We also don't need these IVF to change our babies. We should be proud to have produced life.
ReplyDelete