Andy9o8 2 #26 December 27, 2006 QuoteQuoteMaybe I'm just delving into semantics, and this is a bit off-topic, but I think the term "playing God" is over-used. Virtually all of medical science can be labeled "playing God" if you take the idea to its logical extreme (and, in fact, some religions do). True. Technically, "all of medical science can be labeled "playing God", but I think term (mostly) applies to actions that are outside what is considered acceptable behavior by the mainstream of society. I'd say it's a safe bet that genetically engineering babies is outside what is considerd acceptable. But to a degree, that already happens today, with people being able to choose donor sperm for artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization based on the various characteristics of the donor. Genetic engineering already occurs in agriculture, with genetically engineered food plants more resistant to disease and drought, as well as with certain livestock. For example, some milk cattle have been genetically engineered to produce lysostaphin in their milk. This protein protects the cattle against one of the leading bacteria causing mastitis, an inflammation of the milk-producing glands. Other lab studies have genetically altered a strain of mice so they made a mutated form of prions which then prevented them from becoming ill when injected with a form of prion that causes mad cow disease, leading to the potential to transfer the application to farm livestock. If genetic engineering could help humans become resistant to certain forms of disease, I'd think many people (at least, until the theologians start sticking their noses in) would find this acceptable. (My apologies for hijacking the thread from "deformer" to "designer") Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #27 December 27, 2006 QuoteGenetic engineering already occurs in agriculture, And it occurs in human eugenics programs, as well. Those genetics testing programs that the government sponsors, life AFP, etc? Those are to identify genetic defects. Quite often, pregancies are terminated as a result of these test results. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #28 December 27, 2006 QuoteI think the human race needs to get a hold of them selves. We are getting so selfish that we want to play god. Who is to assume that your child wants to be like you? Who is to say if you are a jockey your kid doesn’t want be a basketball player? We are feeling more and more entitled to things that we should not be entitled too. A child is not a sofa or a car you don’t get to choose the options you want them to come with. If you feel you should be entitled to choose the color of you children’s eyes and if you want him/her to be able to hear or not do us all a favor and blow your own head off and do not reproduce. I don’t think we know the effects of playing god. My worst fear is the end of individuality what is what makes us great. We all are different thank God for that. Very Naive view of thing We have been "PLAYING GOD" for millenia, everytime we breed an animal, grow a crop, chop down a forrest, genetically engineer our food stuffs (BTW, selective breeding and cross pollination IS Genetic engineering), every time we we decide that our partner in procreation will have certain attributes (blonde, blue eyed, tall, ) we play god by stacking the odds in any particular way. The ONLY thing different we are looking at now is manipulating these things on a microscopic level. We have been doing them already for EONS. It just fucks with the "High Horse" brigade more now that's allYou are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,108 #29 December 28, 2006 >I'd say it's a safe bet that genetically engineering babies is outside >what is considerd acceptable. Right now it's considered acceptable to genetically test a fetus and abort it if it will be seriously defective. Surely fixing that fetus is better (and more acceptable) than aborting it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #30 December 29, 2006 If a fetus has a genetically fatal disease, it usually can't be fixed with today's technology. And the OP was about making a healthy fetus deaf or a dwarf. Maybe some people think its ok to be deaf or a dwarf, but I wouldn't support that sort of genetic tampering anymore than I would support genetic tampering for blue eyes. Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #31 December 29, 2006 QuoteIf a fetus has a genetically fatal disease, it usually can't be fixed with today's technology. And the OP was about making a healthy fetus deaf or a dwarf. Maybe some people think its ok to be deaf or a dwarf, but I wouldn't support that sort of genetic tampering anymore than I would support genetic tampering for blue eyes. you need to do a little research no one is talking about tmapering with FeotiYou are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
