Society's Fear of Genetic Engineering

Society's Fear of Genetic Engineering

Works Cited Not Included

Anti-technologists and political extremists misinform, and over exaggerate statements that genetic

engineering is not part of the natural order of things. The moral question of genetic engineering can be

answered by studying human evolution and the idea of survival of the fittest. The question of safety can be

answered by looking at the current precautions of the industry. The concept that society needs to

understand is that with the right amount of time and money genetic engineering will help reduce disease and

save countless lives.

Many people do not realize that genetic engineering plays a role in many lives through out the

world. Genetic engineering includes artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, sperm banks, cloning, and

gene manipulation (Goetz 178). Synthetic insulin is now available for use to treat diabetes. This man made

insulin has many positive aspects, which include its life span, cost to manufacture it, and the amount that is

available. The synthetic insulin lasts two to three times longer than its natural form and costs substantially

less to manufacture than to extract it from an animal, primarily pigs. One other benefit is the amount that

can be manufactured. In pigs, the scientists need to wait for it to mature to extract the insulin. The

synthetic source is completely man made and any amount can be manufactured in large quantities.

The replication of insulin is not the only way biotechnology is being utilized. Today people receive

synthetic hormones that their body cannot produce such as growth hormones, thyroid, estrogen, and

testosterone. Vaccines are also another form of genetic engineering that h...

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...hing that man was not supposed to be able to control. These ideas stem from people?s fear

and religious affiliation. This is based on opinions that people have formed, once again, because of their

ignorance towards genetic engineering.

The fear that people have toward genetic engineering is not new to science. Ever since the

beginning of science, man has been afraid of the unknown. Space travel and flying were not widely accepted

until the twentieth century and was completely absurd just one hundred years ago. Today they are widely

accepted and are used everyday. Genetic engineering is in the first stage of its discovery and will emerge in

the twenty first century and will be as accepted as is flying and space travel. The people of the world should

ease up on holding back the evolution of science and realize its possibilities for future generations