Issues Raised By The Rise Of Science

-Use of animals in testing (synoptic link: stewardship). -Genetic engineering and modification. -Eugenics. ‘Designer Babies’ / ‘transhumans’. -Artificial Intelligence.

Changing or manipulating genes Prevent disease and disability in human beings

-also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genome. -It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species to produce improved organisms.

The attempt to engineer a unique set of genes for the genetic modification of humans, animals and plants. Possibilities include treatments for incurable diseases: Cystic Fibrosis, Alzheimer’s disease.

-Thought that, within a generation, it could be possible for parents to select the DNA that would lead to their offspring being super-intelligent or super-fit (genetic enhancement therapy). -These are known as ‘transhumans’.

have produced a human protein in their milk that can be used to treat people with lung disease.

can produce significantly larger crop yields and have resistance to diseases, helping to address problems of hunger.

Gene therapy PGD - pre implantation genetic diagnosis

This enables changes to be made to cells that pass on faulty information from one generation to the next, allowing permanent changes to be made.

-This removes the faulty genes from embryos so women at risk of passing on diseases can produce healthy babies.

-stem cells can be taken from bone marrow or blood -also harvested from embryos who were created for IVF treatments, but are no longer needed

-Stem Cell Research is the most recent form of genetic research. -Stem cells are the ‘building blocks of life’. -They have no set nature or purpose and can thus be changed into any kind of cell needed e.g. heart cells to repair the damage from a heart attack. -they can also be used to create or clone new organs to completely replace diseased or damaged ones

1) People have difficulty when trying for a baby so they decide to do IVF. 2) This involves the woman taking different drugs so she produces lots of eggs. These eggs are then harvested and combined with the man’s sperm to create embryos. 3) Many eggs are taken so that lots of embryos can be created. This is to make sure that there is a choice so that only the best quality embryos are implanted. 4) The embryos which are not implanted can then be used in stem cell research. 5) Cells are taken from the unused embryos and implanted into diseased cells to try and find cures for currently incurable conditions.

• stem cells are abundant in embryos -they can clone themselves to make multiple cells -they can e changed with chemicals to make new cells types which can be used to create new organs for people needing a transplant e.g kidneys

-A source of embryonic stem cells is unused embryos produced byin vitrofertilisation (IVF). -For therapeutic cloning is it right to create embryos for therapy, and destroy them in the process? (Debate of personhood – when does life begin?) -Embryos could come to be viewed as a commodity, and not as an embryo that could develop into a person. At what stage of its development should an embryo be regarded as, and treated as a person? (Personhood debate) -There are arguments to move the embryo research limitations from 14 days to 28 days. What problems could this cause?

-DB are the result of the editing of DNA cells or embryos. -An embryo is first made with IVF. Within 5 days a single cell is removed from the embryo and genetically tested. -If the parents decide to go further, it is implanted in the mother’s womb or else it is destroyed. -The process of genetic selection of the embryo is called Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD), which means doctors can check for conditions such as Down’s Syndrome and cystic fibrosis. -This information can be used to select the sex of the child, to treat a sick sibling and eventually it will become possible to engineer the intelligence and appearance of children.

-We could create a society for the rich and a society for the poor. -Rich people could ask doctors to engineer their children with superior physiques, intellect or beauty. -Poor people would have no access to this technology.

-I value these things, so I want to give my child these things. -Do we want this scenario? A parent may not value sports, but their child could be good at them. -A parent may not value artistic ability, but their child could be good at it. -This means we value a child for what we want them to be rather than what they are.

-where people would choose (and pay) to have all sorts of different body-types and mental abilities, and eventually post-human, where people will no longer be recognizable as humans as we define ourselves today.

-this is God’s role (playing God). Can humans be trusted with this? -Think of the many acts of genocide the world has seen. -This could be seen as a barbaric form of streamlining the human gene pool – a scientific process of genocide.

-It could increase human lifespan for up to 30 years. -It might help prevent genetic diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s Disease, down syndrome, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and many others. -It reduces the risk of inherited medical conditions such as anaemia, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and much more. -It allows parents to give their child a healthy life. -Genetically engineering babies is an option, not a requirement for all parents. For those that disagree with it, they don’t have to engineer their child. -Parents can set their own limits for genetically engineering their baby. -Can choose sex or appearance of the baby. -It allows parents to give the child genes that they do not carry.

-The process cannot 100% properly evaluate every gene. They are more than likely mistakes will be made. -If the process is not done carefully, the embryo could be accidentally terminated. -The technology used is not 100% safe yet. It is only in the experimental stages at this point. -A baby cannot consent to have its body altered; therefore, some do not believe it’s right as parents do not “own” their children -Parents may use this technology for superficial purposes, such as purposely seeking out a blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby for appearance concerns only. -They could create a gap in society. “Designer” babies would most likely be better looking, smarter, etc. This would create “classes” between designer andnon-designerbabies. -Because most people will seek out good-looking, intelligent babies with other optimum characteristics, everyone will be relatively similar. -This procedure is not cheap, and not everyone would be able to afford it, thus creating prejudice between “Designer” and “non-designer” babies.

Genetic engineering holds promise for treating currently incurable diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis and Alzheimer’s disease. By modifying genes associated with these diseases, researchers aim to develop therapies that can alleviate symptoms or even cure the conditions.

-The concept of designer babies involves selecting specific genetic traits for offspring, such as intelligence or physical fitness, through genetic modification. -This idea suggests that within a generation, parents could potentially have the capability to choose the DNA that would shape their children into “transhumans,” individuals who possess enhanced traits beyond typical human abilities.