Human Genetic Modification

[sabbath]

I don't think it is good practice in any practical sense other than curing debilitating diseases. It must be done for the research in hopes of raising the quality of life by many.

 

That is something that I can agree to. But I still see the need of ethics especially in these field of research, or for any field of science for that matter. Ethics is for the good of humanity anyway, though at certain instances you may say that it can stifle progress. Though the greater challenge there is to come up with treatments and new technologies that do not go against ethics and what it means to be human.

 

We cannot permit the ends to justify the means.

[SkepticLance]

Silkworm.

Ethics are a wonderfully malleable construct.

In the 1960's, the idea of human artificial insemination was seen as quite unethical. 40 years later .......

 

In the same way, any ethical standard you currently construct will be a quaint thing of the past in 50 years.

[tejaswini]

If we are to have extended duration of humans in space, they will be exposed to terrible radiation. A 6 month trip to Mars will seriously increase long term risk of cancer. However, there are plenty of organisms able to withstand much more radiation than humans. In theory, we can make a few small genetic modifications, and create humans able to live under this radiation indefinitely.

 

nice thought , but when we do that how do we know if there is going to be a side effect . for ex if we introduce a gene that does help us fight off the dangerous effects of radiation we might be altering some other genes , their trancription , some could be switched off as well. if we are altering the genome to our convinence we must remember we are playing with a 6 million year oldevolution process.

[SkepticLance]

tejaswini

NO genetic modification is about to be applied to humans. If we ever GM humans for greater radiation resistance, it will be 50 years plus in the future. I have enough belief in the power of increasing knowledge to accept that, by then, we will know enough not to create terrible side effects.