The idea we discussed in class, of allowing parents to
genetically screen for genetic inconsistencies, and then allowing them to pick
and choose the good and the bad traits they want, is ultimately heading toward the
ability of parents to “design” their own child to the exact specifications that
they find most desirable or attractive to them.
Although many people agree with this idea of allowing genetic screening
but only for possible severe/ life threatening disorders in embryos, I find it
totally dehumanizing and just wrong. I
mean you can never really harm a person by bring it into existence, unless the
person's life is so dreadful that nonexistence is preferable, yet that’s not
even possible to determine without the life actually existing, thus nobody can
ever claim that they are choosing “what is best for the fetus” since it is
completely impossible to ever know or even make an assumption on the value of a
life which never even given the opportunity to try it out and determine that for
themselves. In any case I would say that
being alive is always better than the alternative. For example, to assume that a life with a
disability or chronic illness is presumably worse than non-existence, is not
even a plausible argument to make concerning most birth defects for which we
test. Down syndrome, which is the most
tested for birth defect and common reason many women opt for abortions,
actually consists of a characteristic trait of having a happy disposition; thus,
bringing a child into existence cannot count as harming it.
This form of genetic engineering to produce designer babies, creates a materialistic front to life that causes embryos to be treated like nothing more than an item or piece of property that, if it doesn’t meet these specific qualification standards, is rejected as a defective product and disposed of. Even if we weren’t considering embryos to be a “human life” specifically, it is totally inappropriate to treat them just as a piece of property with the option to “purchase” or “exchange” or “return” them. This completely devalues the potential life that these embryos can become. With allowing more and more genetic screening and abortions / manipulations based on genes we are making life more of just a materialistic possession. Also every human being was created in the image of God and thus is given an intrinsic human value; thus the artificial formation of a designer baby completely destroys the image of God and belittles the value of human life.
I completely agree with your argument, it isn't fair to the babies that are getting engineered without their input in. It feels as if the potentials of these babies are getting striped away with each genetic modification done by their parents. From the get go it fells as if the babies are put upon this pedestal of high hopes and goals that they never choose. And genetic engineering would definitely have a major impact on society as a whole. It would make us all look the same and our sense of being unique would be lost.
ReplyDeleteI am actually pro-genetic engineering if it is used to eradicate diseases (and not select hair color, etc., which we anyways can’t do, as you pointed out). I think it will be an amazing thing. But, what happens if we mess with something that we shouldn’t be messing with, and end up in a worse place than we started? Kind of like using radiation to cure pimples, or microwaves to dry hair…
ReplyDeleteAs far as being able to weed out pre-dispositions and health risks, I think genetic engineering is great and an amazing advancement in the field, but when it comes to choosing the outward appearance of your child? Well that just doesn't seem right at all. It is sort of like the issue I have with human cloning to replace a lost child. You should never have a child and place heavy expectations on their appearance or behavior. At least to me, being a parent is to raise a child to be their own person, not the person the parent thinks is best.
ReplyDeleteIts a difficult issue though because a lot of parents do this anyway, placing expectations and criticizing their child's behavior, looks, etc.