The Great Eugenics Debate
Genetics has always been a polemic subject. It divides society basically into technologists and moralists. As science advances, so does the debate on the issue with each side brandishing their pitchforks at the slightest of discoveries.
It all began with Dolly, a cloned sheep that awakened people to the vast strides scientists had made in their quest for advancement. Genetic engineering had since branched out into various fields like Genetically Modified Crops and Genetically Modified Organisms apart from the much maligned Genetically Modified Full fledged human beings.
While the concerns of the moralistic lobby cannot be dismissed as mere figments of a luddite mind, the sheer potential of what Eugenics brings to the table cannot be overlooked either. Imagine a child born with SCID (Severely Compromised Immuno-Deficiency) disease succumbing to it when genetic engineering can help alleviate the suffering.
We have decoded the DNA helix that helps us better understand genetic diseases like Huntington's chorea and Down's syndrome. Do we not owe the victims of such diseases a fighting chance to live a long and healthy life? Should the fear of playing God prevent us from preventing manageable diseases?
What are disparaged as designer babies are more likely to be disease free babies saved from a short and painful life.
It is our duty as a civilization to provide for our weak and the defenceless and that begins with provisioning the best possible care unadulterated by fear mongering and mass hysteria.
It all began with Dolly, a cloned sheep that awakened people to the vast strides scientists had made in their quest for advancement. Genetic engineering had since branched out into various fields like Genetically Modified Crops and Genetically Modified Organisms apart from the much maligned Genetically Modified Full fledged human beings.
While the concerns of the moralistic lobby cannot be dismissed as mere figments of a luddite mind, the sheer potential of what Eugenics brings to the table cannot be overlooked either. Imagine a child born with SCID (Severely Compromised Immuno-Deficiency) disease succumbing to it when genetic engineering can help alleviate the suffering.
We have decoded the DNA helix that helps us better understand genetic diseases like Huntington's chorea and Down's syndrome. Do we not owe the victims of such diseases a fighting chance to live a long and healthy life? Should the fear of playing God prevent us from preventing manageable diseases?
What are disparaged as designer babies are more likely to be disease free babies saved from a short and painful life.
It is our duty as a civilization to provide for our weak and the defenceless and that begins with provisioning the best possible care unadulterated by fear mongering and mass hysteria.
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