Would you "design" your baby?

http://health.msn.com/pregnancykids/pregnancy/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100157198

Never and I am deeply morally opposed to it occuring.

I believe that if it were allowed, it would simply be commandeered by the wealthy to produce offspring with yet another set of unfair advantages in life over those less privileged. It promotes elitism quite literally at the level of every fibre of the human form, and it is reprehensible because of that.

indeed, I'd never mess with nature in that way. You genetically modify your child and it grows up and gets athritis at 12 or something. I'd rather just let nature take its course..

Unless they can get my kid to glow in the dark, like these pigs...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4605202.stm


Edited by Ovidius - 15-Mar-2007 at 13:14

huh Genghis?

Originally posted by Genghis Originally posted by Constantine XI Never and I am deeply morally opposed to it occuring. I believe that if it were allowed, it would simply be commandeered by the wealthy to produce offspring with yet another set of unfair advantages in life over those less privileged. It promotes elitism quite literally at the level of every fibre of the human form, and it is reprehensible because of that.   Still, if we perfected it we could give it out for free to everybody and create a new society of genetically near perfect people, just imagine a world with no diabetes, cystic fibrosis, or genetic predispositions to any sort of malady.   Wouldn't it be morally wrong not to create such a society?

And if we perfected treatments for cancer, AIDS and a range of other medical ailments, we could give these out for free to everyone who needs them so there is less suffering..... But of course that isn't how it works, because that's just socialism.

But let's be realistic here. The treatment won't be cheap. The systematic maniuplation of a human genome is going to be an intensive process carried out by a highly qualified professional. It is going to be available only to the very wealthy. And so once again we arrive at the problem of further dividing society into rich and poor. The same people who can afford this treatment will haughtily reject any responsibility in sharing the benefits of this technology with the poor. At the end of the day, it simply gives those with large material wealth a further means to exalt their family over and above the rest of the population - except now not even merit allows the poor man a chance to better himself (because he is always competing against others who are genetically superior by virtue of their parents' bank account).

Something tells me the same people who approve of eugenics also disapprove of a system of healthcare which looks after those of limited financial means.

Originally posted by Constantine XI And if we perfected treatments for cancer, AIDS and a range of other medical ailments, we could give these out for free to everyone who needs them so there is less suffering..... But of course that isn't how it works, because that's just socialism.

Its happened before with Small Pox, no reason to think join efforts wouldn't happen in the future.

As for Genetic modification expanding. Well, you don't know what the future will hold. We've all seen the movies!




Edited by Ovidius - 15-Mar-2007 at 19:34

If we could provide designer babies a la Gattaca to all people, I would support it.  It would unwise not to, if your country chose not to do that and other nations did, soon your economy would be crushed by one run by people who are twice as smart as you, and your army would be defeated in battle by one made up of soldiers twice as strong and twice as clever as yours.

Edited by Genghis - 15-Mar-2007 at 22:06

"Stupid" people don't have stupid kids, it's the situation they grow up in that makes them end up failing in society. 

I really doubt that people will ever understand enough to know for sure what they are doing.   In trying for blond hair people will be bringing in some other defect.  I'll stick to the traditional way thank you very much. (Well, I don't have any kids, but in theory.)

I would support it for eliminating disorders that would have your children disadvantaged in life.

Originally posted by pinguin I didn't say "stupid" people . Yes, intelligence is not fixed in stone, but it is believed the genetic factor contribute some.   Look in your society why it is so curious that certain families are plenty of talents that look something is going on in there. genes perhaps? If so, what's wrong with "robbing" them those genes? I am talking of "genetic communism" in here, nothing less.