Gattaca

Everything Wrong With Perfection The case of human perfection. With technology advancements in this day and age, being able to alter the genes of humans to create perfect people is not so far away. In fact, scientists have already begun to work on this experiment and it is said to be coming about smoothly, according to the internet, and in the near future, we will be able to pay for the genetically perfect race. Although this seems to be a good idea, not having to worry about failure, health…

It is within human nature to strive for perfection. To be the best we can be, and now humans are on the brink of discovering how to finally reach this “perfection” we desire through genetically modifying fetuses or in other words creating a designer baby. However, should we really turn to designer babies in our search for perfection? In my opinion I do not believe we should because there are so many unforeseen consequences of designer babies that we cannot comprehend. We may come across bacteria…

As science is consistently improving, generation after generation, one can wonder what is in store for mankind’s progression. Humans are the most intelligent, ergonomic, and dominant species known to inhabit this little blue marble known as Earth. However, as science progresses, morals and ethics become a deciding factor in whether certain scientific experiments can be performed. Human cloning is an argument whose dividing line is ethics. Human cloning has been a topic of debate for now a…

Ethics of Designer Babies Designer Babies refer to children whose genes have been genetically modified for the child to come out with more desireable qualities. This can decrease the chance for the child to develop Down Syndrome, Alzheimer's, and other diseases. Designer Babies allow the parent to give the child a healthy life which ultimately benefits the child. These babies are created by first fertilizing the mother’s egg in a lab. The fertilization creates many embryos. One cell is removed…

Just because it is possible, should we do it? Imagine that one day you find out that your parents have used PGD technology to select specific characteristics for you to have as you grow up. How would you feel about it? I would feel that my whole life has been a lie. I would not know if the things I like are because of who I really am, or because I have been artificially modified. I can understand that parents want the best for their children, but there are limits. The desire to control life and…

HeLa cells are an immortal cell culture line that have been used to help develop the polio vaccine, understand the effects of radiation, cancer, viruses, and helped lead to advances in cloning and gene mapping. These cells came from one terminally ill woman, Henrietta Lack, who didn’t even know they had been taken from her until she was on her death bed. The author, Rebecca Skloot details the origin and use of the HeLa cell line in her book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta lacks”. Henrietta was…

has helped in many ways, but recently technology has taken on a whole new spectrum. Not only can people communicate from all around the globe, but they will soon be able to genetically modify their unborn children. “Sci-fi novels and films, like Gattaca, no longer have a monopoly on genetically engineered humans. Real research scripts about editing the human genome are now appearing in scientific…

As the world of science enters the realm of what was once science fiction, many important debates and discussions will serve to mold the world’s future. Thus enter the old science fiction flicks such as the 1997 film Gattaca, a movie ahead of its time with respect to its focus on parents’ eugenic policies that promoted the manipulation of their children’s genes. After viewing this film, it is difficult not to conclude that any form of gene editing technology only leads to a dystopian future in…

The world is standing on the verge of one of the most consequential technological thresholds in history, a scientific discovery that has the power to alter the very fabric of generations of lives to come, challenging what it means to be human. Imagine a world in which one can look through a catalog of possible traits while shopping for a new child; picking hair color, intelligence level, and or athletic ability. However crazy this may seem, “designer baby” is no longer a science-fiction term,…

The world is standing on the verge of one of the most consequential technological thresholds in history, a scientific discovery that has the power to alter the very fabric of generations of lives to come, challenging what it means to be human. Imagine a world in which one can look through a catalog of possible traits while shopping for a new child, picking hair color, intelligence level, and athletic ability. However crazy this may seem, “designer baby” is no longer a science-fiction term, but…