Designer Babies Analysis

Designer Babies: What are the Ethical and Moral Issues by TK McGhie and Designer Babies: Choosing Our Children’s Genes by Bonnie Steinbock both cover the controversy around an ever growing, ever prominent field of biotechnology. These articles focus on the recent trend of the concept that parents can essentially design the baby of their dreams. Designer babies are not an actual in use trend, but it is a very real hypothetical one. The idea of designer babies first originated in 1978, the day of the first successful in vitro fertilization. From there, more and more technology has become readily available to help improve the lives of unborn children. These two articles are about the same fundamental subject but, they differ from each

Steinbock never cites specific biotechnology advancements or scientific facts. However, her whole essay becomes more understandable upon seeing Steinbock’s credentials as a professor is philosophy not biology. McGhie consistently and thoroughly cites advancements throughout his essay starting with explanations of the first In-Vitro Fertilization, to the 1996 birth of Dolly, which is the first cloned animal, to then explaining the significance of the Human Genome Project. In this way, McGhie sets the stage for a reader who may not know the scientific significance of the topic at hand. This allows readers to fully understand the background on the subject to further their own personal opinions about designer babies. This is not to say Steinbock's paper would be a struggle to comprehend for a reader uneducated in biotechnology and the controversy that surrounds it. Quite the opposite in fact. Her article only covers surface level information about the possibility of designer babies, which can obstruct the reader from the ability to fully form an opinion on the

Overall Steinbock’s paper doesn’t read like that of a renowned professor, it resembles something akin to a soccer mom’s Facebook ramblings. Her essay has a personal narrative while McGhie’s writing stays scientifically oriented. Although Steinbock and McGhie are arguing for the same side, Steinbock's points are less intensive and lack depth while McGhie’s remain positive but also realistic. The opening statement from Steinbock is “The interesting question is, assuming genetic enhancement of the embryo is safe and effective, may such techniques ethically be used by parents?” (Wilhoit 563). Conversely, the closing statement from McGhie is “without intense review and regard for the ethical and moral issues surrounding it [designer babies], it’s potential may be thwarted.” (Wilhoit