Altering Human Genome

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Altering Human Genome

“The gene pool could use a little chlorine.”

-Bumper Sticker

“Consider God’s handiwork; who can straighten what He hath made crooked?”

-Ecclesiastes 7:13, from Gattaca

“I not only think that we will tamper with Mother Nature. I think Mother wants us to.”

-Willard Gaylin, from Gattaca

With the scientific breakthroughs of the recent decades the humans have become more powerful than ever in their mastery of Nature. The genetic engineering that allows extracting and modifying the genetic makeup of the future person or animal is in a sense the power of Creation. According to the Genesis, we are created in God’s image. The power to modify our chromosomes not only presents to us the vast possibilities, but also burdens us with a plethora of responsibilities dealing with the ethical issues.

Genetic engineering allows the scientists to advance their studies in the field of eugenics, a science that deals with the improvement of hereditary qualities of a race or breed. There are numerous people in the world that were born or will be born with a certain genetic defect. In the olden days of the purely physical of Darwinist survival of the fittest, such people would generally not fair as well as those without the genetic mutations or abnormalities. The diabetics used to lead a rather misfortunate and short life before the insulin had been discovered. Now, however, they flourish on par with the non-diabetics. “Since, however, they were not generally able to have children; these individuals were as genetically dead as if they had been stillborn” (Fabricated Man 4). Since then, the science had advanced and now the diabetic mothers can safely bring their offspring to life, thus potentially passing on the g...

... middle of paper ...

... Boook Company, 1940

Garrigan, Owen. "Man's Intervention in Nature" New York: Hawthorne Books, 1967

Glasner, Peter. "Genetic Imaginations -- Ethical Legal and Social Issues in HUman Genome Research" Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 1998

Hood, Kelves. "The Code of Codes" Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992

Ludmerer, Kenneth M. "Genetics and American Society" Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1972

Ramse, Paul. "Fabricated Man: The Ethics of Genetic Control" London: Yale University Press, 1974

Links

http://www.ratical.org/co-globalize/MaeWanHo/newethic.html#p4

http://www.cbhd.org/resources/overviews/clonover.html

http://www.iatrogenic.org/library/moralphysician.html

http://www.consciencelaws.org/Examining-Conscience-Issues/ethical/Articles/Ethical19.html

http://www.sciam.com/explorations/2001/021201humangenome/

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