1.) What if bio-engineering would allow parents to completely choose all the traits of their children. Would you consider it "crossing the line"? What if, by using bio-engineering, humans could eliminate disease and genetic disorders? Would it make a difference in your opinion of bio-engineering?
2.) Cloning is no longer a sci-fi concept and people have spent small fortunes to clone their pets. Do you consider cloning pets unethical? Why or why not?
3.) There are a lot of biotechnologies that help improve peoples' lives. For example there are implants to give the blind basic sight and deaf hearing. There are many biotechnologies that currently exist or that are being developed now. Can you think of any other biotechnologies that can help improve peoples' lives?
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ReplyDelete1.) I do believe that parents should have the option to whatever is available, but personally I wouldn't want that. I want a surprise of what my baby looks like and know that it wasn't just be designing my child. If by using the bio-engineering to eliminate diseases or genetic disorders then yes I would do this for my child and I feel it should be done, only because a disease or genetic disorder could harm or hurt the health of the baby. When it comes to choosing traits it's more of cosmetic problem, I would be more concerned about the health of my child before a cosmetic issue or other traits such as being athletic or being super smart.
ReplyDelete2.) I don't feel that cloning pet's is unethical, if people love their animals and could clone the animal why not? It seems that it could bring happiness to the pet owner, I see no problems with cloning animals and furthering science.
3.)The one biotechnology that can help improve a person's life would be in vitro fertilization. Woman unable to have babies get emotionally upset when they are unable to have a baby. Woman try in vitro fertilization to have the egg implanted into them to the start of the birthing process. But sometimes it's down fall is that it can be expensive and does not always work, which can upset the woman as well.
1) I think that bio-engineering your children does cross the line a bit. I think ultimately it will create a super race that makes all others inferior because these individuals have been selected for intelligence, good looks, and athleticism. I think that using this technology for the use of eliminating disease is a great possibility but creating designer babies needs to be stopped before it even starts. We can still develop the technology to eliminate disease without creating these perfect children. There needs to be regulations on just how far this will go.
ReplyDelete2) I think the idea of cloning your pet is a little crazy but a cool concept nonetheless. If people really want to spend thousands of dollars on cloning their dog I don't really see anything wrong with it. We've been moving in the direction of cloning for quite some time now. As long as we aren't cloning our wives and children I don't think this bothers me.
3) The first idea that came to mind was an implant or something to help people stay in shape. A lot of people have a hard time controlling their diet and how many calories they take in on a given day. Implanting some kind of technology that makes you feel full longer and crave healthier foods seems like a useful piece of technology to me.
1.) Personally, I would not want to choose the traits of my children. However, I would like to use the technology to investigate possible diseases or genetic disorders that may occur while pregnant or during the child’s lifetime.
ReplyDelete2.) I wish I could clone my dog. He's only 2 years old and fortunately his breed averages 15 years, so I try not to think about him not being around. But if cloning was readily available, I would sign my dog up.
3.) Obviously, a biotechnology that could help prevent cancer would be great. For example, if I have a genetic history of breast cancer in my family, I would like something (other than a mammogram) that could tell me that there are changes occurring in my body that might catch the cancer while it is still treatable.
1. I think that if parents were able to choose the traits of their children than we will no longer have that unique factor. I feel that every individual has that one trait or that one special thing that makes them who they are. I guess if there would be no more hurt or suffering for children that would change my mind. I don't have children but if so I would want them to have that one little quality that differentiates them from the rest.
ReplyDelete2. The cloning thing sounds a little far fetched to me but there are people that their pet is their whole world and I guess if that's what keeps them going. I love my dogs but I don't think I would ever want to clone them. I definitely do not see it as unethical. If they are willing to pay for it and it makes them happy then I say go for it. Who am I to judge.
3. I have lost a lot of very dear friends in the past 2 years from Cancer. I know that it has always been around but it seems like I am hearing the word Cancer more frequently than ever. I agree with Maggie about the biotechnology to prevent Cancer. We can't ignore the breast implants to improve the quality of life for someone who has to have a Mastectomy.
1. I think that it is going to far if you get to choose everything about your child. It almost seems weird to me because you are taking away from both partners creating something special together. It still is special, but it just seems tarnished because it is altered and not the way that the baby would have been had it been born naturally.
ReplyDelete2.) I think that this is awesome because I want my dog to live forever. Since it's only an animal it does not seem as bad to me.
3.) An implant or device to prevents cancer would help the world greatly. Something along these lines would be extremely beneficial to the world.
Thought 1
ReplyDeleteYes, I would definitely consider it crossing the line, and what if this was done for just one child, not the other children in the family. I have 3 daughters, I am very light skin, 2 of my daughters are light like me, the other is dark like her father and that used to really bother her when she was younger. One of the joys of having children is the traits that they get from their parents, grandparents etc. A higher power has already selected what a child should look like and I don’t think that we should mess with that. I think that it is a great tool to eliminate disease and genetic disorders, but that is the extent of what it should be used for.
Thought 2
No, I don’t think people should be cloning a pet, that is just too creepy. For me, the jury is still out on this whole cloning issue.
Thought 3
Wow, good question. I’m not sure, may be like something with bionics or prosthetics. I’m sure there are a lot, but nothing that is really coming to my mind right now.
1.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree that selecting traits and more or less designing offspring would be going too far and wouldn't necessarily benefit the future of humanity in the long run. People still arguably do this, whether or not it's consciously, while selecting mates who have desirable genetic traits. Eliminating disease and genetic disorders is reasonable, I'm in agreement with the view that "repairing" is morally acceptable but "enhancing" beyond average is not.
2.
Cloning pets specifically doesn't really pose itself as an ethical dilemma, the problem is when this idea is expanded into cloning animals in general. The first thing that comes to mind is the food industry's use of cloning. It's common knowledge than many food products including meat are genetically altered, but for some reason it seems that cloning livestock for the purpose of human consumption should definitely be avoided.
3.
Prosthetic technology has become increasingly more advanced in the past couple of decades, as well as the ability to repair organs and bodily functions in general. Pacemakers are another example of a technology which improves peoples' lives.
Thought 1:
ReplyDeleteNo, I would not consider bio-engineering as crossing the line. I think if the technology is available, we should have the option to use it or not. If you look at how fast technology is still moving forward this is something that is not too far off. I like the ideal of us starting a discussion early in the development so that it gives us more time to think about it.
Thought 2:
Yes I would consider pet cloning unethical, what are next people? The only reason I think we should ever clone is for medical reasons. Not because our pet is going to die and we want it to live forever.
Thought 3:
Yes I would have to agree with everyone else, if biotechnologies could help people with cancer. Right now that is our biggest medical problem.
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ReplyDelete1. It would certainly be a medical miracle to be able to isolate genes that cause diseases and genetic disorders; However, the difference between protecting a child from an affliction and custom designing your baby simply because they are the ones you want is black and white. Choosing what your child looks like crosses the line in my conscience. Think about sexual abuse. It is likely that parents will choose traits they believe to be attractive or "hot." People may start designing their children for the wrong reasons.
ReplyDelete2.I believe that cloning pets its unethical because I believe all life forms are gifted with individuality and to take that from the world is a step toward a Nazi(istic) mindset. Cloning sets a strong precedent for mass producing life. Just thing of the loss of dynamic character throughout the world a the onslaught of such a technology.
3. I know that with the use of cellular tissue from various organs are being experimented with to create organs. They can be cultured around a mold in the shape of the particular organ. A fully functional bladder was successfully constructed with the use of such technology.
1) Disease prevention is a fantastic idea for bioengineering, but that is as far as it should go when it comes to altering traits in a child.
ReplyDelete2) It does seem pretty cool that they can actually clone something like that, but I think it deters from the natural life cycle, and as far as pets go there is no need to clone your dog or cat, there are plenty of rescues and strays that would love a nice home that went born in a test tube.
3) The biggest biotechnology other than the ones listed I would have to say the technology in prosthetic limbs, new technology allows for them to almost use their new limb as seamlessly as the original
1. I think preventing diseases is fine but not choosing all the child’s traits.
ReplyDelete2. I think cloning is an amazing thing. If someone has the money and the recourses to clone a loved pet, I do not see a problem with it.
3. The first thing I can think of is a Pacemaker which helps many people with heart problems.
1) I believe its within reason that parents should be able to ensure their child is healthy. This is not crossing any lines that concern anyone else.
ReplyDelete2) It is no more unethical to choose to clone a pet than to choose to "put down" a sick pet that will not recover from its sickness or injury.
3) I would agree that cancer prevention technologies would be vital. One current miracle technology are prosthetic limbs that allow mobility to those who would otherwise be without.
1. This is a very tough question. Parents want to give their children the best chance possible. Of course people want healthy, intelligent, and beautiful children. I just think ethics go out the window when you start engineering everything about a life. The humanity disappears. Besides, people are meant to have flaws.
ReplyDelete2. I think people who clone their pets are more ridiculous than anything…and creepy. Why would you want the same exact pet? Also there are plenty of animals in shelters that need homes. People who clone their pets probably do so because they see the animal as an accessory, and therefore probably shouldn’t have pets in the first place.
3. Prosthetic limbs are the first thing I thought of. There have been many advances in this technology that make them more effective and dependable. They allow people autonomy and accessibility to places they did not have before.
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ReplyDeleteI think that being able to "manufacture" your offspring is going beyond the line. If for the purposes of eliminating traits that would pose a serious health issue in the future then it may be fine. However if you use it to design your child you are taking away the uniqueness that the father and mother contribute to the genetic properties of the child.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough it is a technological miracle that we can clone animals I do not think it is a good idea. I cannot decide if it is unethical or not but cloning a pet is no more the same as getting a different animal that looks like the original pet. The mind of a cloned pet is different and there is no guarantee that the cloned pet, for example a dog, will like the owner just as the original pet did.
1. Disease and genetic disorders would be the only two things I would cross the line on. Yes this would make a difference for the good of mankind.
ReplyDelete2. On my pet yes because some qualities of an animal are so magnificent that you want to perpetuate them even if your psycho ex- wife had that pet fixed and the line can go no further.
3. Regenerative tissues research using the patients own DNA to grow replacement parts. I think this is huge an will significantly increase our life spans.
3.
ReplyDeleteA biotechnology that can help improve people's lives would be the one that will help those disable to walk again. Anyone with a condition that would prevent them from walking or using their legs and feet can be helped with this technology. Also if the issue of repairing damaged nerves is available then resources used to help disabled people will no longer be needed and can be used for other purposes.
1. I think bio engineering your children's characteristics is crossing the line and I would not do this, also eliminating disease and genetic disorders would be a fantastic thing but doing it by altering the person's genetic make up is not the way.
ReplyDelete2. I realize that cloning is not a sci-fi issue and there are people who clone their pets, I would never even consider this for one second cloning a pet or a human.
3. Improving peoples lives is a must in our society and I never want to see anyone be sick or have a disability but I think messing with mother nature before a person is born is wrong but if we can focus on technology to improve these situations this would be the way to go about it.
1. I am very science oriented but have a bit of a problem with bioengineering a persons characteristics unless it is medically needed. I can see adding or reducing chormosomes so as to not have a child with a mental disability. I could understand using bioengineering in those circumstances.
ReplyDelete2. Cloning is a genetic thing. Just because you clone your favorite pet, or a human for that matter, it just means they'll be genetically identical to one another not that they'll mature with identical personalities. I never understood why people got their pets cloned because their pet might have a totally personality and they might like it a lot less than if they would have gone out and adopted another pet in need from an orfanage for example. The only thing that will be certain is that the pets will genotypically and phenotypically be the same
3. I believe these advances in technology are astounding. I watched a documentary on how geneticists have isolated the genes that cause aging and they are confident that children that are being born in the 2010 era will have the ability to live to 125-150 years old. This brings a whole other debate into the picture because the world is ever closing in on its ultimate carrying capacity but thats for another discussion.
1. Yes. Bio-engineering to do anything more than eradicate genetic disease is crossing the line of natural selection.
ReplyDelete2. People cloning their pets is just sad and morbid. People that wish to do so need to move on and learn to love a new pet.Ethics takes a huge leap when we are not talking about humans. So, unethical, no. Pathetic, yes.
3. Biotechnology has been and is being used to improve food that we grow. Some people are afraid of bio-engineered food but I think that if yields or the product itself can be improved it is a positive thing.
1.) I would consider it crossing the line if parents were able to completely choose all the traits of their children. I don't think it is right to let technology determine how a child is going to turn out. The only exception I would have is that if this technology were used to eliminate diseases or a genetic disorder.
ReplyDelete2.) I personally do not mind the cloning of pets. If people are willing to spend the money to clone a pet they love, then they should be allowed to do so. I always wished I could have cloned my dog.
3.) I think the most important biotechnology would be the availability to prevent cancer. Cancer takes so many lives every year so any biotechnology able to prevent it would be the biggest medical advancement possible.
1) I dont believe bio-engineering should be used to pick traits because it could take away what makes us human in a way because we would be partially made by technology which i dont think is right. Curing disease or a genetic disorder could be an exception.
ReplyDelete2) I dont see any harm in cloning a pet. A human is a much different situation than a pet.
3) I think a biotechnology that could help mankind could be one that helps a disabled person have the ability to walk. I believe there are alot of people who are paralysed that could be cured if scientists can figure out hor to make the technology.
1.yes. I think that it is crossing the line and its playing god. I think that you should take the natural course.
ReplyDelete2.I think cloning any living thing is wrong.
3. Prosthetic for people whom loose limbs. That’s extremely important.