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There are things that can already be done in terms of preconception screening and preimplantation genetic diagnosis to ensure couples don't have children with diseases like SMA or CMT.
In the US there is a huge amount of screening already and a reasonable amount of PGD.
Gene editing is altering germline in a somewhat unkown way. This is very new technology and we need to look at it very carefully before using it in human germlines.
There are things that can already be done in terms of preconception screening and preimplantation genetic diagnosis to ensure couples don't have children with diseases like SMA or CMT.
But only if the couple is aware that they may be carriers, no? We certainly didn't screen for anything before we had kids, we just assumed we'd be fine.
You know it's disgusting puritans like some of you lot that make my job **** dull. For instance, in Halo, the Spartans are a race of genetically engineered super-soldiers. Thanks to bioethics, that won't happen. For some inconceivable reason, bioethicists and the public in general hate genetic engineering, cloning, weapon testing on prisoners of war, and fun in general. You can't clone humans.... you can't genetically engineer and cybernetically enhance your kid to have super strength coupled with Einsteins IQ. You can't kidnap people, remove their stomach, and sew their esophagus to their duodenum. Where will it end?
I can't even have a live mouse growing out of my ear - god knows I've pestered my GP about it often enough. (actually maybe I should be asking a vet)
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I came out the right side of a 50/50 chance of developing Huntingtons Disease after genetic testing. This is great for me and my children who cannot develop it. My mum lives with it every day and my brother and nephew still live with with the risk daily.
I am all for the use of embryonic cell research for hereditary diseases.
Not a human embryo but we've been 'playing god'* for millennia
* I feel so dirty using that phrase
Every time something like this comes up (e.g. enhanced crops/dolly the sheep), someone predictably predicts a dystopian future where everyone will be genetically modified to the detriment of the human race (or the benefit of some future nazi master race).
But it remains true that:
a) people produced traditionally via unskilled labour (no offence) will always outnumber any number of genetically enhanced posthumans, and
b) ideology is probably not genetic and its hard to imagine any e.g. nazi/islamist genes that would make their politics more attractive unless its a general dumbing down and increase in violence throughout the world (which could probably be achieved more easily by adding lead to the water supply).
In the meantime this technology will provide beneficial and life enhancing results for a small number of people with a limited number of conditions.
Good 🙂
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Every time something like this comes up (e.g. enhanced crops/dolly the sheep), someone predictably predicts a dystopian future where everyone will be genetically modified to the detriment of the human race (or the benefit of some future nazi master race).But it remains true that:
a) people produced traditionally via unskilled labour (no offence) will always outnumber any number of genetically enhanced posthumans, and
b) ideology is probably not genetic and its hard to imagine any e.g. nazi/islamist genes that would make their politics more attractive unless its a general dumbing down and increase in violence throughout the world (which could probably be achieved more easily by adding lead to the water supply).
However, transhumanism does run the very real risk of further increasing economic stratification by creating a two-tiered human race for those that can afford it.
So go the full 'Sci-Fi' and say that people can play all they want with gene manipulation, but not on this planet. They have to do it in orbit or on the moon, or colonise Mars if they want to experiment.
Win:win for the human race.
Nay-sayers get to keep the Earth pure, scientists and people that understand evolution get to go to other planets.
However, transhumanism does run the very real risk of further increasing economic stratification by creating a two-tiered human race for those that can afford it.
Difficult to see how that could be any more extreme than it already is!
Difficult to see how that could be any more extreme than it already is!
You're either a cuddly optimist or unimaginative.....
😛
So go the full 'Sci-Fi' and say that people can play all they want with gene manipulation, but not on this planet. They have to do it in orbit or on the moon, or colonise Mars if they want to experiment.
Experimenting is fine, it's governed or should be governed by ethics and social responsibility. Going all libertarian, opening it up to the free markets and allowing it to be used for anything other than disease is the issue.
Tom_W1987 - Member
Going all libertarian, opening it up to the free markets and allowing it to be used for anything other than disease is the issue.
Why?
You know you [b]really[/b] want the lad to have massive whanger 😆
He'll have my genes for that.... 😆
Maybe the OP has a point. Remember Dr. Frank N. Furter
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It didn't end well
Genetic modification is good to prevent the possibility of utopian genes infestation ... 😮
But we've kept out of playing God for sometime now
Apart from modifying just about everything around us to suit our needs for about 2 million years or so, but yeah...I could see how you could make that statement
mrsfry - Member
Maybe the OP has a point. Remember Dr. Frank N. Furter
Pervert