Genetic Engineering - Technology Forum

Rising Star Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 24

Personally, I'm convinced that human genetic engineering and cloning are wrong. I think it to be very dangerous. It is closely intertwined with things that are certainly immoral, such as the harvesting of fetuses. I believe it is not intelligent to play with fire –especially when the whole scenario is an unnecessary one to the human race. What do you think? Question

Apprentice Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12

I have seen this topic arise over the past few years and those that usually suggest that it's a bad idea do not usually fully concieve what is actually going on.

It's natural for all women to have monthly periods, where their bodies remove old unfertilized eggs to be replaced with new ones. That is a preportion of fact and reproduction, if old eggs were used then the likelihood is they would either increase the chances of mutation or be non-fertile.

You could suggest that if a particular woman gives their egg to a clinic for cloning cells, they are taking an egg that would otherwise "go stale and be washed down the toilet" and giving it some other purpose than ending up bottom feeder (fish, prawns, crabs etc) food.

Now since this egg is outside of the womb, if it was to be fertilized it would be an un-natural conception, since it would lack a place for birthing etc. It also means that if it was fertilized and left to it's own devices outside of the womb that it would not grow into a fetis let alone a child, since it would lack nuture.

When Cloning is mentioned usually, it's usually to do with "stem cell research", where a genetic sample is placed into the egg to generate a cloned embroyic sample that is then used to help replace damaged cell structures in an adult subject. No child is killed, for the egg used would naturally have been dumped by the woman anyway (mentioned how above).

The usual reason for the misconception of what cloning is, is due to how poeple market the view of cloning. Usually they show the implied duplication of a whole complex architecture like a copy of a baby or reference of Dolly the sheep, however the majority of Geneticists and Doctors are not looking to duplicate whole human beings as both the Doctors and the creation would be seen a "monster".

I hope this sheds a little more light on what it's really about (rather than just having ignorance of my point tarring me as a monster)

Rising Star Joined: Dec 22, 2004 Posts: 15

I don’t think it’s about misconception of the technology that people oppose the idea of cloning (barring a few who are ignorant). It is interference in the Nature’s course of action and is something that can only lead mankind into trouble. In science one thing leads to another, once people begin to accept cloning of animals as NORMAL then the next step would be human cloning! A revolting thought in itself. With all the NATURALLY born children dying in the underdeveloped countries from hunger and cold, do you think cloning ethical???

Rising Star Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 24

It is acknowledged even by the experts that the cloned animals are prone to diseases. Firstly, they have a much higher chance of miscarrying or dying shortly after birth. In addition they are likely to face long term health conditions. With all this known to us why do we want to create UN-NATATURAL beings that we know will only live to suffer. Sad

Novice Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 7

Whatever may be your ethical reservations about cloning, I think therapeutic cloning can be a very productive field of science through which can help lots of people live healthy lives through cloning human organs for transplantation. Research on this project is already underway in South Korea, where the law explicitly allows cloning of human cells for research purposes but bans human reproductive cloning.

Apprentice Joined: Jan 03, 2005 Posts: 10

My reservations against Genetic Engineering are vindicated with the prediction, ‘Designer Offspring!’ I think that such advancement would be extremely dangerous for humans in the long run. God has not made us all the same. Just imagine such a scenario when you can alter the genetics of your child, everyone will want their children to be PERFECT. The world then would have no variety; everyone will be as bright as the other! What a boring world that would be.

Rising Star Joined: Jan 01, 2005 Posts: 16

Not just boring, a world with designer off springs would be just like having mass production of babies! Remember Matrix???
However, I don’t think that any efforts on part of governments around the world will stop such advancement from being upon us within 10 to 15 years. We will just have to deal with it…form regulations about stuff like that or something.

Apprentice Joined: Dec 24, 2004 Posts: 14

Assuming that such a situation arises that genetic engineering goes to such an extent, I think the only thing that can stop the takeover of such designing is Religion. People with religious values will oppose such things to the hilt. They will be the main obstacle in development of such technology. (In my opinion, rightly so.)

Moderator Joined: Jun 21, 2005 Posts: 264

What if by tinkering with our genes we wipe
out genes that evolved due to past conditions.
Genes that are still with us but dormant because
we are simply not in the same environment they
evolved for.
It might become necessary for them to be turned back
on if our environment returns back to those prior
conditions these original genes evolved for.

What if some crucial past genetic adaptation is
ruined. what if we need in the future these past
genes to turn on in order for us to adapt.
What would happen if we accidentally damaged
the dormant genes which are going to be
needed in the future?

We don't want to loose what evolution has provided
for. If were not careful we may unknowingly destroy
these past genetic adaptations which possibly could
become necessary in our future.

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