Would you genetically engineer your future child?

[_BuRjaCi_]

Originally posted by C0ckney

And yet everyone failes to answer the question of what is a disease.

[BeBMan]

Well, the OP was only about GE in general....

[_BuRjaCi_]

Originally posted by BeBro
Well, the OP was only about GE in general....

Yes, but its logical. What I meant is that (almost) nobody disagrees with curing diseases so the statement with which CO. agrees is therefore worthless and empty but politically correct.


Edit: If there is a lack of logical thought and education on this forum then I'll have to reference pop culture. Specific reference to illustrate my case: X-men 3 (be warned the movie sucks)

[Az]

yes, no.

[ZEE]

anyone seen that movie Gattaca with Ethen Hawke? it was about a society who genetically engineered children to be perfect, and the "in-valids" or whatever you call "normal" people were essentially slaves and such. well Ethen was an "in-valid" who was posing as one of the "perfect" people and... erm... here WIKI can tell you more...

The film presents a biopunk vision of a society driven by "new eugenics". Children of the middle and upper classes are "designer babies", genetically engineered in-vitro to be the optimal recombination of their parents' genetic material. A genetic registry database uses biometrics to instantly identify and classify those so created as "Valids" while those conceived by traditional means are derisively known as "faith births", "god children" and, more pejoratively, "In-Valids" (as in "invalid"). “In-valids” who try to enter the “valid” world (by contracting with “valids” to purchase their DNA through collection of blood, urine, hairs, dead skin flakes, etc…) are known as “borrowed ladders” and "de-gene-erates". While genetic discrimination is forbidden by law, in practice it is easy to profile one's genotype resulting in the Valids qualifying for professional employment while the In-Valids who are susceptible to disease are relegated to menial jobs.

The movie draws on concerns over technological developments which facilitate reprogenetics, and the possible consequences of such biotechnology for society. It also explores the theme of destiny, and the ways in which it can/does govern lives. Characters in Gattaca continually battle both with society and with themselves to find their place in the world, and who they are destined to be according to their genes.

if you are interested in this sort of thing i HIGHLY recommend this movie, as i enjoyed it very much. it would also provide a glimpse into a world where pre-natal genetic manipulation is a very real thing, and the societal impact that this will truly have. i think it is a very real reflection of what COULD happen if this were the case, honestly...
piece™

[General Ludd]

Why would I genetically engineer a child when I could just have sex?

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Sandman
Is it right to have deaf kids on the off chance that one of them will become a Beethoven?

Is it wrong to have deaf kids?

[Donegeal]

Originally posted by AAHZ
if you are interested in this sort of thing i HIGHLY recommend this movie, as i enjoyed it very much. it would also provide a glimpse into a world where pre-natal genetic manipulation is a very real thing, and the societal impact that this will truly have. i think it is a very real reflection of what COULD happen if this were the case, honestly...
piece™

Inthe long run, we COULD need genetic engineering to explore/colonize the galaxy...

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
definitely add testicles

JM

Even if it's a girl?

[Barnabas]

I think it sounds horrible, I hope when this becomes widespread I am already dead

[Dinner]

Genetic engineering would be the way to go since everyone wants their children to have every advantage possible. Think about how you can make sure your child is smarter, faster, healthier, and a million other things. You can remove pre-dispositions to cancer, to allergies, for diabetes, for male pattern baldness, the need for glasses, Parkinson's, etc... Or you could go beyond removing disadvantages and start adding advantages make him/her taller, less likely to be fat, make him/her physically closer to the ideal you want, more muscular, faster, smarter, or any other trait you can think of.

The end result really would be humans who are superior compared to the current average.

[Barnabas]

And what would be done to people who want to remain "natural"?

[Dinner]

Nothing.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Genetic engineering would be the way to go since everyone wants their children to have every advantage possible. Think about how you can make sure your child is smarter, faster, healthier, and a million other things. You can remove pre-dispositions to cancer, to allergies, for diabetes, for male pattern baldness, the need for glasses, Parkinson's, etc... Or you could go beyond removing disadvantages and start adding advantages make him/her taller, less likely to be fat, make him/her physically closer to the ideal you want, more muscular, faster, smarter, or any other trait you can think of.

The end result really would be humans who are superior compared to the current average.

IMO the end result would be some kind of "arms race" to get constantly even more advantages.

[OzzyKP]

And that arms race would be expensive and most people wouldn't be able to keep up. So it would make social classes even more severe in society - and between societies.

Not only would the rich get richer, they'd get stronger, smarter, and healthier too.

Genetic engineering.