Genetically Modified Humans
November 9, 2016
There has been a lot of talk within the scientific communities recently about genetically modified humans. What was thought to be only fantasy and science fiction is now coming to life right before our eyes, but the real question is do we really want this to happen?
Like with most things and situations, they all have a good and bad side to them. On the good side of this, we could possibly prevent certain genes that are a lot more susceptible to diseases such as Alzheimer’s or even HIV. In April of 2016, scientists in China for the second time have discovered a way to get rid of HIV through altering the genetic makeup of a human embryo (1). How they did it was using a certain gene altering tool called CRISPR, which is a protein complex that makes it possible to add and remove genes (2), to create the altered embryos. We know for a fact that this is obviously a good thing to happen, but what are the possible cons of gene altering?
I think it is very obvious that there are somewhat moral issues concerning human gene altering. The first time the scientists from China conducted the experiment, there were strict regulations from the government, making sure they used embryos that wouldn’t develop into a full on living breathing human (1). They didn’t want to have it not work and then have unfortunate biological side effects that would impact the human in the future. Fortunately that didn’t happen, and they continued with more experiments, most of which were successful, but there is also another aspect of gene altering that crosses the boundaries of modern morals. Other scientists have chimed in on the situation to say that it is not far from now that we can possibly alter genes to give babies certain traits, whether that be physical or personality traits, such as bigger muscles or maybe make the newborn more intellectual (3). A lot of people can see how this could be morally wrong. There is a tendency in humans to pass down something that is a part of them to their children, to show them the real world and what they can do to possibly survive the future. If genetically modified humans become a reality, then that would be like trying to alter the natural way of things. Nature changes through society, what we do will ultimately change how we live as a community and how we live through each other. We can see this through climate change, and how when if we try too hard to make nature bow to us, nature will only rise up and strike back. If we start to genetically modify the human race’s physical and personal attributes, then what we would really have left that is natural? What could be the possible outcome of this? Society constantly changes, so how will we know that a certain trait would still be viable in the future?
As a closing, there are pros and cons to the idea of genetically modified humans, and just to shed a little more light on things, I would get pretty annoyed if the entire world was filled with predominantly saints or philosophers, running around trying to tell people how to live, now that would be quite a boring existence.
Sources:
(1): http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-genetically-modify-an-embryo-for-only-the-second-time-ever
