Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Opinions on Genetic Modification

Regarding the idea that some knowledge is best left untouched, I disagree with this assertion. My belief is that when presented with the opportunity to further human knowledge and human understanding, there should be an obligation for people to pursue this, as I also believe that all knowledge is good. My main reason for this is that the only alternative to the pursuit of knowledge is ignorance and that while it can sometimes provide comfort, should not be ideal in a progressive society due to the fact that a great society has to adapt and discover new things. Narrow this down to the morality of genetic modification, I strongly believe that this science should not be suppressed but rather encouraged. First of all, there is genetic modification in our farms which have reduced crop failure, increased resistance to pests and diseases, and has also increased the amount of yield per crop. So why shouldn't this be banned? After all, it is one of the leading contributors to the fight against world hunger. Of course, this isn't the point of contention. Human modification should be advanced further. Why shouldn't we give babies resistance to disease or give them increased physicality? It would be one of the best ways to reduce mortality rates and greatly increase human lifespan. Of course I do disagree with some things regarding this. There is the modification of personality, which, if possible, should not be used as this is comparable to mind control. There is also the concept that genetic modification would be a sign of wealth and discrimination which is certainly credible. That's why I believe that the most suitable way to access this science within society would be to have genetic success in babies be seen as a universal right or utility so that people of all classes would have access to healthier children. However, this is a very hard task which is why pioneers of this field should advance this science of genetics but should also be careful in the integration of commercial usage within this.

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