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People already select for desired traits in their children through mate selection (although it is generally a subconscious selection). If I wanted to have a ch
by Femur 17y ago
People already select for desired traits in their children through mate selection (although it is generally a subconscious selection). If I wanted to have a child with dark skin, I would mate with a person with dark skin.
Would genetic modification be that different from the above example I gave?
Additionally, I have the right to reproduce. Who can tell me what I can or cannot do to produce my child?
- philwelch 17y agoYou may have the right to reproduce, but as to "who can tell me what I can or cannot do", the answer is always "whoever has all the guns". Whether or not they're justified, the government usually gets to tell us what we can or cannot do, assuming they catch us. This is generally considered a major risk of having a government.
- TomOfTTB 17y agoThe sad truth is the scenario you describe is not that different from what has been done in countries like China. The difference here is that China had an irrational desire for male children. Where as here there might be a rational reason for the Government to step in. So the very scary scenario that forms is one in which a parent's right to reproduce as they desire is pitted against a governments understandable need to keep society moving forward. At least, that's what I'm afraid it might come to.
- philwelch 17y agoBy some accounts, the history of politics consists of a conflict between individual rights and the public good.
- dantheman 17y agoor some notion of public good, which historically has resulted in the death of millions. As soon as a country gives up on the concept of individual rights, it seems death follows.
- philwelch 17y agoI like to think of it as a conflict between different sets of individual rights, such as your right to swing your fists about and my right to an uninjured nose. But there are some tragedy-of-the-commons cases where this model doesn't work out.
- rjurney 17y agoYou have the right to reproduce sexually. The right to engineer a child through genetic manipulation is much more likely to be prohibited than protected. I expect that we'll make exceptions for diseases, but I can't imagine human culture on this planet as I know it going for wholesale improvement. Not for the foreseeable future. Doesn't mean it won't happen eventually, but a dramatic change in values would have to take place because there is such a taboo associated with engineering people. Imagine if the news broke tomorrow about a better, smarter human baby being engineered. The result would be outrage, ferocious anger and prohibition.
- Femur 17y ago>I expect that we'll make exceptions for diseases, but I can't imagine human culture on this planet as I know it going for wholesale improvement. Disease: an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning Is downs syndrome a disease? Is autism a disease? Is Asperger's a disease? Is a learning disability a disease? Is left handedness a disease? Is laziness a disease? I think we can both agree that Downs Syndrome is a disease and that if were possible to fix via genetic manipulation we would. Other items i listed are obviously not so clear... I make the point (again) that the health and state of my child is my responsibility and choice. If i want to choose to have my child be right handed, I should be given that choice.
- rjurney 17y agoI don't think handedness is a choice you'll be given. I think choosing that will be illegal, because we don't want humanity to be engineered, and that would be the result of your policy.