Guanine, Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine are the four nucleotide bases of DNA. The clever title, of the futuristic movie revolving around genetic engineering, “Gattaca”, is a DNA sequence. The symbolism, as within the title, continues throughout the thought provoking film.
DNA is like the instructions used to develop life. However, in the film, DNA is also a prime determinate of social class. Vincent Freeman is a baby of faith, conceived by means of natural reproduction. His parent’s decision, to opt out of genetically enhancing their child, was against the social norm and subjected Vincent to discrimination and prejudice based upon his genes. Poor eyesight, a heart defect, and a life expectancy of thirty determined his fate as a genetically …show more content…
We are on the verge of genetic enhancements but there are means, to alter physical and cognitive capacities to reach above average, available presently, which do not involve manipulating genes. Sports are already banning enhancements because of fairness. “To protect the health of athletes and to ensure equal competitive conditions, the International Olympic Committee, WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] and International Sports Federations have accepted performance-enhancing substances and methods as being doping, and have forbidden them” (Gene doping in Sports). Muscle enhancements, such as steroids are available to increase performance levels. Blood-doping increases the amount of red blood cells, which carry oxygen, enhancing the athlete’s aerobic capacity along with endurance and their overall performance. Growth Hormone Treatment is often used to increase height and muscle mass. People have also found non-athletic ways to enhance themselves such as memory enhancers; for example Ritalin. All of these therapies and many others have necessary medical uses but are abused while striving to be …show more content…
Presently, people are born into circumstances. They cannot control who their parents are, their race, their social class and so on. It is the genetic lottery. Though the genetic lottery can be seen as unfair, “Historically, justice was not applied to a person’s genotype because this was not something people could influence. Having a certain set of genes was not a matter of justice but one of the realities of life with which a person had to learn to live. If anyone was at fault, it could only be God or nature, and humans had little recourse against either of them” (Demy). Along these lines, Harvard philosopher, Michael Sandel, author of “The Case Against Perfection”, worries that, “if genetic engineering enabled us to override the results of the genetic lottery, to replace chance with choice, the gifted character of human powers and achievements would recede, and with it, perhaps, our capacity to see ourselves as sharing a common fate” (Sandel). If genetic engineering takes away the common fate that is shared and adds the responsibility of fault, the “unfair” advantage seen within the genetic lottery will only be expound
DNA is like the instructions used to develop life. However, in the film, DNA is also a prime determinate of social class. Vincent Freeman is a baby of faith, conceived by means of natural reproduction. His parent’s decision, to opt out of genetically enhancing their child, was against the social norm and subjected Vincent to discrimination and prejudice based upon his genes. Poor eyesight, a heart defect, and a life expectancy of thirty determined his fate as a genetically …show more content…
We are on the verge of genetic enhancements but there are means, to alter physical and cognitive capacities to reach above average, available presently, which do not involve manipulating genes. Sports are already banning enhancements because of fairness. “To protect the health of athletes and to ensure equal competitive conditions, the International Olympic Committee, WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] and International Sports Federations have accepted performance-enhancing substances and methods as being doping, and have forbidden them” (Gene doping in Sports). Muscle enhancements, such as steroids are available to increase performance levels. Blood-doping increases the amount of red blood cells, which carry oxygen, enhancing the athlete’s aerobic capacity along with endurance and their overall performance. Growth Hormone Treatment is often used to increase height and muscle mass. People have also found non-athletic ways to enhance themselves such as memory enhancers; for example Ritalin. All of these therapies and many others have necessary medical uses but are abused while striving to be …show more content…
Presently, people are born into circumstances. They cannot control who their parents are, their race, their social class and so on. It is the genetic lottery. Though the genetic lottery can be seen as unfair, “Historically, justice was not applied to a person’s genotype because this was not something people could influence. Having a certain set of genes was not a matter of justice but one of the realities of life with which a person had to learn to live. If anyone was at fault, it could only be God or nature, and humans had little recourse against either of them” (Demy). Along these lines, Harvard philosopher, Michael Sandel, author of “The Case Against Perfection”, worries that, “if genetic engineering enabled us to override the results of the genetic lottery, to replace chance with choice, the gifted character of human powers and achievements would recede, and with it, perhaps, our capacity to see ourselves as sharing a common fate” (Sandel). If genetic engineering takes away the common fate that is shared and adds the responsibility of fault, the “unfair” advantage seen within the genetic lottery will only be expound