Preview

Explain The Moral Issues Involved In Genetic Engineering

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
504 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Explain The Moral Issues Involved In Genetic Engineering
1) Explain the moral issues involved in Genetic engineering.

Genetic engineering is the modification of an organism by changing its genetic material. Genes can be transferred from different organisms and this makes many things possible with genetic engineering. Examples of genetic engineering include taking the insulin gene and using bacteria to create quick and cheap insulin to treat diabetics. Genetic engineering can also be used on food. For example, people lacking vitamin A in their diet can take the Carotene gene and eat modified golden rice.

The law in Britain on genetic modification is quite complicated. Currently, no GM crops are being commercially grown in the UK. However, they are being imported. To market or release a GM product you must have your application authorised. Applications are considered at EU level and safety towards humans and the environment are carefully looked at. The law also requires GM products to be labelled clearly, as many people aren’t comfortable with genetically modified products.

Genetic modification is a controversial issue. It allows you to produce organisms with modified features. It does have many benefits, such as crops growing and tasting better. This could be very advantageous for a farmer in terms of income. Genetic modification is
…show more content…
However, they think they can manipulate certain traits of individuals as well as modifying DNA. Genetic modification is a great breakthrough in science but there is still a lot of research to be done in terms of long-term problems along with the moral issues that come with the process. Genetic engineering may end up causing genetic defects in humans and plants. It may also contaminate genes in crops, which can lead to the loss of natural nutritional value of certain foods. Diversity is natural in human beings and genetic engineering may stop the diversity between human

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Mostly, GMOs are done with agricultural crops and animals that are consumed for food. Food, most needed by humans, whom are the consumers. But because of the non-stop increase of the population, source of food became a problem. So they came up with these, genetically engineered crops. They can noticeably increase crop yields and also, reduce the use of chemical pesticides. The costs for food and drug production are reduced, the quality and the organisms’ composition are improved and it has greater food security for the growing population.…

    • 480 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Miss

    • 8881 Words
    • 29 Pages

    Genetic modification has a variety of uses pure science, research, medicine, food production, agricultural innovation. Genes work by coding instructions for making proteins and proteins are the chemicals that have a strong influence on biological functions. GMO technology finds itself an enduring part of society, history and people. This is true because of the technology’s ability to integrate itself with wild populations and even contaminate conventional crops, well beyond the decision for farmers to halt the planting of GM crops. There will be a decrease in the products derived from GMOs.…

    • 8881 Words
    • 29 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genetically modified foods are beneficial for our society because of the nutrients that may be added to foods and the greater ability to produce these foods. While some people argue that genetic modification is still a new technology that should be researched further, others will agree that the benefits definitely outweigh the drawbacks. Society today has all kinds of new technology at its fingertips and should be allowed to use this technology to enhance certain things to better the world.…

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genetic Engineering is a notorious and complex subject, burdened with ethical and moral debates, packed with fascinating science. Everything begins with DNA, (Deoxyribonucleic acid). We are all made up of DNA. Without understanding DNA, genetic engineering or any sort of alteration within engineering of DNA is unfeasible. If you do ask someone, (what is a designer baby?), who does not know the science behind designer babies or genetic engineering, they may say it is a creation against the nature as we are dismantling natures characteristics and deciding to adjust the faults.…

    • 5533 Words
    • 23 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When scientists begin to alter and change a person’s gene, the genes the person is born with and scientists take too much risk to change a person’s gene. Once something wrong happens anything can happen to a human maybe there will be a disease or illness and this can cause really bad effect on people, there will not be many cures or treatments for the human, they will die or get a heart attack if genes are overlaid. I believe that genetic engineering is only general; everyone knows that it comes from organisms. But it can still harm anyone because it has not been studied for a long amounts of time, its just what scientists predict, who knows maybe they can be wrong. I believe that scientists are wrong and they shouldn’t do anything, before they have fully…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genetic Modification (GM) or Genetic Engineering (GE) is the process of manipulating genomes from an organism, such as plants and animals, to another using the techniques of biotechnology. Genetic modified foods are created from the procedures of genetic engineering and play an important role in the society’s lifestyle. GM foods can be both beneficial and disadvantageous to the society and environment. It can be advantageous as it can improve agricultural production, help improve nutrition in the body and also contribute to medical research. However it can also be disadvantageous as it may harm organisms in the environment, be a factor of human illnesses and its cost inefficiency.…

    • 852 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Genetic engineering is the incorporation of a new gene into another organism's genome for a certain benefit which may include treatment of diseases, manufacturing of drugs,hormones etc., and production of foods.It started in early 1900's, but scientists at that time did not practice ethics but as time went by ethical issues were addressed with the evolution of International organizations such as the United Nations. lt has been beneficiary to our society especially in the food production industries in order to feed large numbers of people through Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO),even though there will still be issues of concern on the negative side effects of these products.…

    • 418 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genetic engineering often gets a bad rap with changing the natural evolutionary cycle, but it could, with proper guidance, improve almost every aspect of daily life. Advances in the Biotech Revolution have made many things that we had merely considered to be science fiction or a thing of dreams are now possible.The fact of the matter is that genetic engineering is applicable to everyday life while still being ethical and inline with people’s morals.…

    • 1069 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    According to Kennedy the definition of genetic modification is “the alteration of the genome of a human, plant or animal by the addition of new genetic material. Genetic modifications provide a way of expressing desirable characteristics in an organism that otherwise would not display them; it is the insertion of a gene into an organism, altering the genetic makeup” (1). Originally, scientists wanted to use this technology as a…

    • 1777 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Gm Foods Response Paper

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages

    GM foods are produced from genetic engineering. Scientists take a certain gene from an organism that is desired and put it into another organism. For example, scientists might take a drought resistant gene from a plant and insert it into a crop, so that crop will not die during a period of low rainfall. There are various ways to add in these desired genes, such as crossbreeding, which has been…

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    So genetic engineers found a gene which let plants tolerate glyphosate and transfer it into soybeans, allowing soil saving no-till agriculture on half the US soybean average. This created a lot of advantages for genetic engineering and agriculture. Genetic engineering is believed to be a good thing for the people and the environment. It is also thought of as an experiment with no positive outcomes.…

    • 467 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    There is debate about whether genetic engineering should be used or not, and to what degree. There are many problems that can occur from the process and many of these cannot be avoided currently. There are known problems and there is also the fact that the whole process is unpredictable and unforeseen problems could crop up. A good example of this was the influence of a genetically engineered organism on a food chain, which sometimes damaged the local ecology. The new organism could now compete successfully against other species, causing unforeseen changes in the environment. This could then have a knock-on effect that could lead to the destruction of whole species.…

    • 1066 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    If the modification is performed improperly the damage inflicted could prove to be irreversible. At one point when testing on animals it has been shown that “germline introduction of an improperly regulated normal gene resulted in pogency of the modified animal with no obvious effects on development, but enhanced tumor incidence during adult life” (Hall 162). Along with the fact that “although such methods may be undertaken to fabricate improved humans, in some cases, by accident or intent, the outcomes will be quasi-human or less than human” (Hall 164) people are hesitant to make this method of medicine wide spread. Another reason why people are worried about the mass populace utilizing this technology is due to the fact that some may consider it “a satanic act of disbelief and corruption that would change the nature with which God created human beings” (Sachedina 190). Other ethical concerns may include the “deep-seated fear of the further deterioration of social and familial values” (Sachedina 192) that could possibly occur through the overuse of cloning and genetic engineering technology. As a result of these factors concerned individuals have spoken out against the use of such technologies in favor of safer and more commonly accepted methods of curing the ill and providing crops for…

    • 1423 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    As applied to the opposition, the risks that come with genetic research could be so substantial that society would ultimately enjoy more benefits without it. There would be no concerns about mutations, and no GMO fiasco. However, humanity could stand to reap the benefits of the considerable advances resulting from genetic research. Advanced diagnostic procedures and disease treatment will improve the health of the population as a whole. To satisfy both sides, research could continue, but under strict guidelines. Any genetically modified consumables must be grown within isolated parameters, to ensure that they cannot leach into the natural environment. Comprehensive testing must be completed, and any experiments proven unsafe for humans and the environment must not be reproduced for public…

    • 1334 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Before we discuss the issues with genetic engineering, I think we have to know how this technology came about. In the 1950’s, three scientists, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and James Dewey Watson, were credited with the discovery of DNA [2]. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) carries a living organisms genetic code and the manipulation of it created the field of genetic engineering. In a way, manipulation of genes is not really new. Long before, farmers have controlled the outcome of plant and animal breeding through selective breeding. It all first started with the concept of selective breeding, which is still done today by arranging animals to breed together to enhance and increase genetic make-up [3]. But unlike genetic engineering, the manipulation of genes in selective breeding is all natural and can only be done within the same species. Genetic engineering has boundless opportunities and that comes with controversies.…

    • 1756 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays