Ethical Issues of Genetic Engineering

Genetic Engineering is a powerful and potentially very dangerous too. To change the sequence of nucleotides of the DNA that code for the structure of a complex living organism, can have extremely ill effects although the potential benefit can be huge.

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Genetic Engineering is a technology that has been introduced to change the DNA of different species to make them more improved.

Before advances in genetic applications, gene therapy was unheard of and genetic defects were always inherited, plaguing generations. Today genetic testing is widely available, such as prenatal karyotyping of the chromosome to check for genetic abnormalities. Genetic testing is also useful for families in which auto soma recessive disorders are known to exist when these are planning to have children. In addition, genetic testing is available for people who might have inherited a genetic disorder which only becomes apparent later in life. Individual choice decides whether a person would rather know if they are particularly vulnerable to certain diseases or more likely to die young. Knowing that your life may short inspire you to make the most of it while it could equally well cause severe depression

These advances in genetic engineering make the possibility of “designer babies” a reality. When the choice to change every aspect of every characteristic of a child is available, who would refuse? Why has an average child, when it is possible to have one with perfect health, good looking, intelligent and matching every other desirable characteristic which parent could want? The benefits seem endless: the potential for a perfect society without physical imperfection, low intelligence nor undesirable personality traits. How far this could go, is unpredictable; theoretically, humans could, for example, be made more efficient- requiring less food but able to harder.

Alternatively, one of the problems with all types of the changing the structure of human DNA is the subsequent loss of natural variation. Additionally the unattractive of the possibility of very little variation in personalities and looks, the loss of natural variation would stop the formation of new genes, thereby severely decreasing the available gene pool. On the larger scale of life, natural variation is vital for subtle adaption that helps species accommodate to changing environments. If genetic alterations become widespread, genes required for particular circumstances or differences or different environments that may encounter by the organism

In conclusion, the previously mentioned applications of genetic engineering have had clear benefits’ to the human species in spite of equally apparent risks. However, one of the perhaps most dangerous risks of the new advances is their undeniable potential for biological warfare. This potential for engineering resistant infection or diseases scares all nations.

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The author feels that although some of the applications of actual genetic engineering could be immensely used by humans, too little is known about the genetic structure to inflict the risks involved on the population.