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Genetics is already a lucky dip. Intelligence appears to be highly heritable. If there is a couple that both have low IQ's below the 20th percentile then is it

by MRD85 8y ago

Genetics is already a lucky dip. Intelligence appears to be highly heritable. If there is a couple that both have low IQ's below the 20th percentile then is it moral to tell them that there is a way for their child to be intelligent? What about health? Social skills? Good looks? Looks have a huge impact on your life (i.e. halo effect).

qwerty456127 8y ago
Of course it is, why not? I even believe it's immoral to let the kids struggle from inheriting their parents disadvantages in intelligence and health when it is possible to save them from that. As for social skills and appearence, however, this is not so straightforward as the first is complicated and the second is subjective. Psychopaths and dominant characters can make amazing social players but I doubt it's nice (both to the person and to whoever is going to have to deal with them) to pre-program a person with these traits. Unusual appearance can sometimes be more cool than nazi-style unified perfection.
- MRD85 8y ago
  Looks may be subjective but most people tend to somewhat agree on who is and is not attractive. A large number of women think George Clooney is attractive and that Danny Devito isn't. If you take two babies who are identical in every way except one will look like George and one will look like Danny then they will have very different lives. Looking good makes people assume you have good traits.
  - qwerty456127 8y ago
    > A large number of women think George Clooney is attractive and that Danny Devito isn't. Nevertheless Danny Devito is extremely charismatic and if I were him I would certainly appreciate my parents didn't modify my genes to make me look a different way. In fact my actual look is much more close to that of George Clooney than Danny Devito but if I could choose now I would prefer to change my look into exactly that od Danny Devito than of George Clooney. This is exactly the example of how subjective this is.

by MRD85 8y ago

qwerty456127 8y ago

Of course it is, why not? I even believe it's immoral to let the kids struggle from inheriting their parents disadvantages in intelligence and health when it is possible to save them from that. As for social skills and appearence, however, this is not so straightforward as the first is complicated and the second is subjective. Psychopaths and dominant characters can make amazing social players but I doubt it's nice (both to the person and to whoever is going to have to deal with them) to pre-program a person with these traits. Unusual appearance can sometimes be more cool than nazi-style unified perfection.

MRD85 8y ago
Looks may be subjective but most people tend to somewhat agree on who is and is not attractive. A large number of women think George Clooney is attractive and that Danny Devito isn't. If you take two babies who are identical in every way except one will look like George and one will look like Danny then they will have very different lives. Looking good makes people assume you have good traits.
- qwerty456127 8y ago
  > A large number of women think George Clooney is attractive and that Danny Devito isn't. Nevertheless Danny Devito is extremely charismatic and if I were him I would certainly appreciate my parents didn't modify my genes to make me look a different way. In fact my actual look is much more close to that of George Clooney than Danny Devito but if I could choose now I would prefer to change my look into exactly that od Danny Devito than of George Clooney. This is exactly the example of how subjective this is.