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What are the ethical issues of human genetic engineering?

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ApostateAbe

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What are the ethical issues of human genetic engineering? I have nothing to say, as I have no issues with it. This thread is for you.
 
ApostateAbe said:
What are the ethical issues of human genetic engineering? I have nothing to say, as I have no issues with it. This thread is for you.
Click to expand...

This thread might be better suited for the Morals and Principals sub forum, but anyway.

First of all, it is hard to argue against the urge of parents to do everthing in their power to give their children the best life possible, but do you
remember the news story about the deaf parents:This couple want a deaf child. Should we try to stop them?

The parents want to use IVF to select for a deaf child. If you were a doctor bound by the Hippocratic oath would you help them?

I'm not going to answer the question, but notice that there is definitely an ethical issue here.

Secondly you should watch the movie Gattaca. I think it's great entertainment and it touches on some of the problems that could develop in society if genetic engineering becomes commonplace. Inviting these problems into our lives may not be worth the boon that Genetic Engineering offers us. Making that decision is an ethical dilemma. Here's an essay focusing on the central ethical issue in the movie.

Thirdly: What about mad science run amok? Nuclear Power is incredible and has such potential for devastation that it has been largely contained and prevented from spread to the general public, for good reason. Genetic Engineering may be even more powerful and devastating in the wrong hands. The next super virus could be just a few splices away for an incompetent or malevolent technician.

That's all for now.
 
I would put this in the Morals forum, but I was told to put every one of my posts related to genetics or evolutionary biology in the pseudoscience forum. So, if you want to start a thread there about human genetic engineering, maybe you can but I can't.
 
ApostateAbe said:
What are the ethical issues of human genetic engineering? I have nothing to say, as I have no issues with it. This thread is for you.
Click to expand...
That depends on the goals and the means, so without any restriction,, it's too broad a class of topics.
It's obvious to me that possible human genetic engineering is neither always immoral nor never immoral, but that's just it.
 
Also, there's the matter of trial and error. While the end goal of stronger and smarter people is a laudable one, it's a long road to get to the point where that can be delivered. Along the way, there will be failures with significant physical and mental impairments as a result. Those are human beings who are being impaired by testing these new technologies and that's not a line which most want to have crossed, regardless of the potential positive outcomes at some point in the future.
 
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