Position:Home>Philosophy> State your opinion on--Designer Babies?!?
Question: State your opinion on--Designer Babies!?!!?
"New reproductive technologies are giving would-be parents more options -- if they can cough up enough money!. One day, some experts say, parents might be able to order blue-eyed, academically inclined, cancer-free kids!."
Frankly, I'm utterly appalled! I just finished reading this online article about how parents may someday be able to create their own super-kid, features including: choice of some physical traits and personality attributes, such as hair color, level of optimism, if they are athletically or academically inclined etc etc!.
Does anyone else agree with the fact that this is sick and twisted!?!
Now I agree that the advances in technology and science can be wonderful!. For example, helping parents have healthy children without birth defects!. However, allowing wealthy adults to be able to create their own robots or monster is not fair to the child! It's not up to the parents to literally force their decision on what another human being should be like!. I mean, parents now have an influence on their children, but they can't scientifically alter them to be their perfect child!.
Now, I know the whole nature verses nurture theory will, of course, take affect on any child, whether they are a creation of just the parents, or a creation of science; that even though a child may be programmed one way, the things that happen in their life will make them individuals!. It’s just!.!.!.I do not believe that we should be able to change someone to our liking before they are even born!.
Your thoughts!?
Article---
http://articles!.moneycentral!.msn!.com/Inv!.!.!.----
also, I know that mothers are already capable of affecting a child before birth with their own life choices, such as drugs or alcohol or diet!. I know this will affect the child in many ways!. Parents are one of the main influences in a child's life after birth as well, and affects who we are today!. But that is a discussion for another time!.
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Every parent (every competent parent, at least) wants the best for their child!. This really is no different than choosing which school your kid goes to, what TV shows he watches, what hobbies he gets interested in, whether he grows up to be responsible or irresponsible, etc!. Parents "force their decision on what another human being (their child) should be like" all the time; it's what parenting is all about!
I must very strongly disagree with your contention that "designer babies" would be "robots or monsters!." Actually I recall that the same thing was said about the first in-vitro babies!. Genetically modified babies would in fact be exactly the opposite of robots or monsters, having been given all the _best_ qualities of humans!. (BTW, there's no reason a child couldn't be academic _and_ athletic!.) If you could tweak a gene to make your child more creative, would that make him more, or less like a robot!? If you could give your child a heightened sense of empathy and compassion, is that turning him into a monster!?
Genetics is not playing god any more than giving chemo for cancer is!. There is nothing divine, magical or supernatural about genes; they are just another part of your body like your pancreas or that wart on your hand!. Tweaking them is no different than using glasses to correct your vision or working out to increase your strength and health!. You said yourself that genes are not all there is to a person, that their upbringing and environment can also play huge roles in shaping a person's identity!. Gene therapy & modification is just another factor out of many, so why not put it to beneficial use!?
also, who says this will only be for the wealthy!? Like computers or plane trips, it may start out expensive early in its history, but as the technology matures and becomes more efficient the price will fall considerably until most anyone can afford it!.
You might want to check out "Liberation Biology" by Ronald Bailey at your local bookstore or library!. It's about the coming revolution in biotechnology, and has a whole chapter devoted to the subject of designer babies!. I think you may find it quite interesting to read!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
While creating super-humans seems like it's asking for trouble, it's really just speeding along evolution!. I'm not one to say we should mess with nature, but as long as we use it just to rid children of cancer and not to give them super-strength, I think it will be alright!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Its not sick or twisted at all wouldnt you rather be fit than fat!? theres nothing wrong with altering a child slightly especially if its for the betterWww@QuestionHome@Com
It is inevitable!. As are mistakes!Www@QuestionHome@Com
I don't like it at all!.
Don't mess with nature!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
The human race has been doing exactly that for YONKS,flower!. Disposal of deformed babies,the halt and the lame left to die,the retarded used as entertainment,so forth!. What scientists are attempting is one way of eradicating that trait,or,as some see it,that necessity,out of human nature!. Wether it's right or wrong,it's here!. The problem is,once invented,attempted,or thought of,an idea cannot be UN-invented or UN-thought of!. So we'd better get some parameters set PDQ,if we're not going to travel down the route toward Uber-kind for the favoured few,and make certain any benefit from such manipulation of nature is precisely that!. A benefit to mankind,and not a toy of the wealthy!.Www@QuestionHome@Com