The science fictional movie, Gattaca, directed by Andrew Niccol is set in a futuristic society where eugenics are the norm and where genetic engineering has created an extreme social divide. The film follows the story of Vincent Freeman, a genetically inferior member of society who takes on the role of genetically superior man in order to reach his goals and find freedom from the identity with which he was born. The parents of modern society should not be allowed to modify their children’s genes because of the possibly devastating effects on unborn child. Humanity cannot begin to comprehend the incredible, prospective medical benefits for the child or the future but since we as a species do not yet know the future of this technology the potential
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“There is a huge risk that we may produce physical changes, or even change the child’s personality” (Bionet). The fact is that humanity does not have enough information to properly disclose the potential harms of genetic engineering on our children. “Animal studies have shown that this type of genetic engineering is unpredictable” (Bionet). This raises the ethical question of if we really know what we are doing or could potentially do to the next generation. Genetic engineering threatens a child’s rights of individuality, independence and decisions in their later life. If society’s parents decide what types of genes their children have they could potentially be robbing their children of a range of futures that would have otherwise been available to them. The norm of society will be creating children to help other siblings survive or to fill a role that their parents have selected for them. This is not ethically correct and until scientists around the world have further developed this technology the fact remains that parents should not have the ability to alter their children’s genes. Despite the horrible risks for the children this new technology has amazing potential benefits of medical nature for both children and future …show more content…
The possibilities with this new technology are unimaginable and scientists are already beginning to discover amazing benefits of this technology such as early detection of hereditary diseases, increases in lifespan and even the replacement of undesirable genes with more beneficial ones. Medical professionals say that they have already found ways to detect DNA sequences in human genetics that show that the person is more susceptible to deadly hereditary diseases (Human Genetics). In the future it may be possible, with genetic engineering, to cure an individual of a genetic disease before they are even born. Genetic engineering may be able to increase an individual’s lifespan by somewhere “between one-hundred to one-hundred fifty years” (Occupy Theory). In a world where there are many problematic genetic traits, one of the most innovative new potentials with genetic engineering is the possibility to replace hereditary genes with internationally designed replacements that will better suit the child or improve their quality of life as an individual (Mameli). This exchange of genetic material could stop a genetic lineage of a certain disease, which would lead to a new generation of healthier and more successful
“There is a huge risk that we may produce physical changes, or even change the child’s personality” (Bionet). The fact is that humanity does not have enough information to properly disclose the potential harms of genetic engineering on our children. “Animal studies have shown that this type of genetic engineering is unpredictable” (Bionet). This raises the ethical question of if we really know what we are doing or could potentially do to the next generation. Genetic engineering threatens a child’s rights of individuality, independence and decisions in their later life. If society’s parents decide what types of genes their children have they could potentially be robbing their children of a range of futures that would have otherwise been available to them. The norm of society will be creating children to help other siblings survive or to fill a role that their parents have selected for them. This is not ethically correct and until scientists around the world have further developed this technology the fact remains that parents should not have the ability to alter their children’s genes. Despite the horrible risks for the children this new technology has amazing potential benefits of medical nature for both children and future …show more content…
The possibilities with this new technology are unimaginable and scientists are already beginning to discover amazing benefits of this technology such as early detection of hereditary diseases, increases in lifespan and even the replacement of undesirable genes with more beneficial ones. Medical professionals say that they have already found ways to detect DNA sequences in human genetics that show that the person is more susceptible to deadly hereditary diseases (Human Genetics). In the future it may be possible, with genetic engineering, to cure an individual of a genetic disease before they are even born. Genetic engineering may be able to increase an individual’s lifespan by somewhere “between one-hundred to one-hundred fifty years” (Occupy Theory). In a world where there are many problematic genetic traits, one of the most innovative new potentials with genetic engineering is the possibility to replace hereditary genes with internationally designed replacements that will better suit the child or improve their quality of life as an individual (Mameli). This exchange of genetic material could stop a genetic lineage of a certain disease, which would lead to a new generation of healthier and more successful