The Pros And Cons Of Designer Babies
Alex Vecchio
Hour 5
Designer Babies
As the field of genetic technology expands, making many seemingly god-like actions become reality for mere mortals, designer babies could be the future of human reproduction. So what is a “designer baby?” Applying the technology of designer babies, as Smith states, “Parents could select the traits their children will be endowed with.” (). This means that parents would be able to design their child to only have chosen traits. This creates a conscious opportunity to advance human capability, while raising endless moral and ethical questions. Just because we can, should we? As with all technology advances, the advanced genetic technology of designer babies comes with advantages and disadvantages. It’s up to the reader’s experience, worldview, and values to decide if the benefits outweigh the concerns. However, with the technology moving out of the theory of the lab, and into the realm of practical …show more content…
In fact, The Lincoln Courier gives a quote from its own Cara Reynolds saying the process is, “"It's just unbelievably presumptuous and they're playing God." Aside from this strong argument, there are many other objections. These include, “If people use the method to select babies who are more likely to be tall, the thinking goes, then people could effectively be enacting their biases against short people,” (Naik). This argument is particularly strong. Changing the traits of a child could create biases or discrimination towards others. In addition, where many believe this could be used to stop disease and disorders, some fear this could do the exact opposite. “‘To create a child with a disability because a parent wanted such a thing ... where would you draw the line?’ Hughes wondered,” (Lincoln Courier). Ultimately, is it fair and just to the child who has no input into the options, to decide their traits based on their parents or society's
Hour 5
Designer Babies
As the field of genetic technology expands, making many seemingly god-like actions become reality for mere mortals, designer babies could be the future of human reproduction. So what is a “designer baby?” Applying the technology of designer babies, as Smith states, “Parents could select the traits their children will be endowed with.” (). This means that parents would be able to design their child to only have chosen traits. This creates a conscious opportunity to advance human capability, while raising endless moral and ethical questions. Just because we can, should we? As with all technology advances, the advanced genetic technology of designer babies comes with advantages and disadvantages. It’s up to the reader’s experience, worldview, and values to decide if the benefits outweigh the concerns. However, with the technology moving out of the theory of the lab, and into the realm of practical …show more content…
In fact, The Lincoln Courier gives a quote from its own Cara Reynolds saying the process is, “"It's just unbelievably presumptuous and they're playing God." Aside from this strong argument, there are many other objections. These include, “If people use the method to select babies who are more likely to be tall, the thinking goes, then people could effectively be enacting their biases against short people,” (Naik). This argument is particularly strong. Changing the traits of a child could create biases or discrimination towards others. In addition, where many believe this could be used to stop disease and disorders, some fear this could do the exact opposite. “‘To create a child with a disability because a parent wanted such a thing ... where would you draw the line?’ Hughes wondered,” (Lincoln Courier). Ultimately, is it fair and just to the child who has no input into the options, to decide their traits based on their parents or society's