Cloning and genetic engineering do of course have some pros and cons; one of the most exciting potential applications of genetic engineering involves the treatment of genetic disorders. Medical scientists now know of about 3,000 disorders that arise because of errors in an individual's DNA. Conditions such as sickle-cell anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Huntington's chorea, cystic fibrosis, and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome are the result of the loss, mistaken insertion, or change of a single nitrogen base in a DNA molecule. Genetic engineering makes it possible for scientists to provide individuals who lack a certain gene with correct copies of that gene.
Genetic engineering also promises a revolution in agriculture. It is now possible to produce plants that will survive freezing temperatures, take longer to ripen, convert atmospheric nitrogen to a form they can use, manufacture their own resistance to pests, and so on. Domestic animals have been genetically "engineered" in an inexact way through breeding programs to create more meaty animals, etc., but with genetic engineering, these desirable traits could be guaranteed for each new generation of animal.
Shouldn’t we be worried as a society about where genetic engineering/cloning might lead us? If we can cure genetic disorders, can we also design individuals who are taller, more intelligent, more athletic, or better looking? Is that a good use of the technology? Will the manipulated agricultural products be safe for humans, or will they alter us in some unknown way? Will we be able to control all the changes that might occur, and lastly how can we socially, accept and justify all of this? All the above are of the few of the many ethical questions we should ask ourselves.
Shouldn’t we be worried as a society about where genetic engineering/cloning might lead us? If we can cure genetic disorders, can we also design individuals who are taller, more intelligent, more athletic, or better looking? Is that a good use of the technology? Will the manipulated agricultural products be safe for humans, or will they alter us in some unknown way? Will we be able to control all the changes that might occur, and lastly how can we socially, accept and justify all of this? All the above are of the few of the many ethical questions we should ask ourselves.
It is extremely tough to say whether or not genetic engineering is a good thing or a bad thing. I think it is unethical to genetically design people who are "taller, more intelligent, etc." but it is a good use of technology to cure genetic disorders. When it comes to manipulated agricultural products, I would choose not to eat that because we don't know if genetically altered food is safe for human bodies. There are probably unknown long-term effects that are not worth the risk.
ReplyDeleteI think genetic engineering is a bad thing, because there is no natural objects in a particular living being and there are chemicals. People could develop diseases and get sick. I would not want to eat genetically modified products, because, genetical engineering is taking away all the nutrients in the products and adding in chemicals and prervatives. Same thing with animals. They are being genetically engineered to be bigger and tastier, but what people are adding are chemicals. I would stay away from genetically engineered products.-Tia
ReplyDeleteUsing genetic engineering to save people’s lives is a positive thing. However, using it on the foods that we eat is not beneficial. Also, using it to alter our physical characteristics is just unnecessary. When it comes to saving people that are dying of terrible disease I am all for it. In regards to food, it won’t be beneficial in the long run. After doing it for so many months or years it is inevitable that there will be findings that the people eating the food have become sick in one way or another. Using the genetic engineering is just a result of the society we live in. Everyone is so focused on their image. There’s no need to modify the way we look. If it were possible everyone would try and do it and as a result we would all be these beautiful looking robots with the same features and the same intelligence level. There are too many doubts and questions in my mind for it to be seen as a good idea. Even for the medical reasons, how much more research needs to be done before all of the kinks have been worked out and the side effects made a minimum.
ReplyDeleteThe genetics of cloning is a very delicate and controversial issue amongst society's individuals today. Like it is said, it does have some pros and cons. The concept of cloning is a very significant biological breakthrough that can lead scientists and researchers into new territory for better equipping ourselves in regards towards advancements in medicines, medical practices, and eventually longer life expectancies for all. However, the con of that is probably how unnatural it may seem. Cloning is defined as the method of asexual reproduction amongst a living organism where there is only one parent involve instead of two. Cloning can lead into medical advancements that everyone has been looking for, but there are also some skepticism onto its usage. The method should only be used for true medical purposes to expand our life expectancies rather than basically produce individuals who are more intelligent, more athletic, and better-looking as bad ways to use the technology. This breakthrough needs to be used with caution, as the procedure is not fully comprehended by even the most brilliant of people. Cloning (through the eyes of anti-cloning activists) can be seen as by playing God. Actually, it is playing God and disturbing the cycle of nature to create organisms who has favorable traits. For that reason, we won't be able to fully control all the changes that occur or understand all of the things that can go wrong with cloning.
ReplyDeleteGenetic engineering is a beneficial advancement. Cloning is unethical and I highly doubt that we as a society will ever use cloning and genetic engineering to make ‘pretty people’ and ‘play God.’ It’s just not what these scientists are looking for. They are looking for new and better ways to improve the lives of people.
ReplyDeleteBy genetically engineering produce, its genetic make up would simply be changed so it can perform in different conditions; there are no extra chemicals or preservatives involved. Before any of this genetically modified produce was used there would be extensive testing on it before anyone would try it. The government would not allow potentially harmful food into our stores without knowing what could or could not happen.
Using the genetic engineering for people would be to benefit them by preventing or treating disease, like the blogger stated. Other applications of this would be creating new tissues that were damaged or to study the diseases themselves. By genetically engineering cells to have a disease such as Parkinson’s disease scientist can study how it develops over time. It will be years before many of these things are applied into our lives, but this growing field will be apart of our future. It’s being used to help people not harm them and society needs to see that.
Genetic engineering should only be used to cure genetic diseases. This is gives a positive result by ridding the world of these diseases. There needs to be strict regulation on using genetic engineering. It should be illegal to use it for cosmetic purposes. Using it for cosmetic purposes will create a genetic funnel, resulting in people becoming too much alike. When that happens, more genetic diseases arise such as when close relatives have a child. When the genes are too alike, issues occur with the child's health. Genetic engineering to do anything but cure genetic diseases will cause more problems than it would fix.
ReplyDeleteI think genetic engineering is a good idea when used to cure genetic diseases. But other than that I do not agree. I feel that changing people to be perfect would lose the diversity in the world. I feel genetic engineering agriculture is a bad idea. Putting chemicals in food just does not seem natural or healthy.
ReplyDeleteGenetic engineering is a delicate issue that raises alot of controversy between people.Some may agree that it is a good idea, but others disagree. I believe that genetic engineering is a good idea depending on how it is used. I believe it is right to use to grow plants that can be immume to diseases and pests, and for the use to cure genetic diseases/ disorders within people. However I believe that the use of genetic engineering becomes wrong when we use it to make a person "perfect." It would defile human condition and nature. This is where controvery usually rises, because it relates to abortions and religion. Stem cells would come from fetuses that would be used to cure human disorders. It raises the issue whether it would be right or wrong to kill a fetus to use it for stem cell reasearch. Is it morally right or wrong? I believe that stem cell research can only be good as long as it is used for the right intentions.
ReplyDelete