Sunday, November 22, 2009

Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is an artificial manipulation of DNA in order to modify an organism or population of organisms. They can take over the cell by injecting their DNA into it like cloning but with altered DNA, which the scientists do in the lab. They can also change just one small part of the DNA. They can reproduce certain cells to make useful substances. Through recombinant-DNA techniques, bacteria have been created that are capable of synthesizing human insulin, human interferon, human growth hormone, a hepatitis-B vaccine, and other medically useful substances. The change in the DNA that removes genetic disorders will make that the person more functional. There are people who believe that there are issues with genetic engineering. They are able to genetically alter animals and sell the meat without labeling it, which may make people concerned. They may eventually alter human DNA to make the perfect human with the best of all traits. People would be opposed to this speeding up of evolution, but in some ways it could be seen as good. Such as people could avoid being affected by a disorder, or they could all have a higher intellect.

1. What could be some possible problems with genetic engineering?

2. What could be some positives to it?

3. Would you support it or be against it? Why or why not?

4 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. 1. There are several possible problems with genetic engineering. For example if you tried to make the prefect human, many things could go wrong. They could be outcasted, and could try to become too powerful. Also this could hurt evolution. It would slow down the rate at which we evolve, possibly hurting humans in the future.
    2. However, there are also some positives of genetic engineering. For example, they can make substances that would greatly help the medical field. Also, this could help prevent a person from getting a disorder. Or at the very least helping them funtion better with their disorder.
    3. I would support some aspects of this genetic engineering. For example, i would support the medical advances as well as helping people with disorders. However, I would be against the making of the perfect human. It just seems like that person would get to powerful and we would depend on it too much.

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  3. 1.Genetic engineering poses unprecedented ethical and social concerns, as well as serious challenges to the environment, human health, animal welfare, and the future of agriculture. For example the making of a perfect human could harm the process of evolution, hurting humans. Along with that new diseases might be created in the process of healing

    2. There are also some positives Diseases that we have now might be more uncommon. People would be born with no handicaps. Cost of treating genetic illnesses would go down. Human suffering might be reduced by elimination of birth defects and genetic-related disease.

    3.I would support some aspects of genetic engineering like the decrease in birth defects and genetic related disease, but i would be against having a perfect human in this world.

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  4. 1) genetic engineraring can cause very unpridictable ethical and social concerns. it affects everything in the natural world.

    2)the plus side to genetic engineraing is the fact people would ahve no handicaps,a dn the cost of treating illness would greatly reduce.

    3) i would support the genetic enginering. the decrease of birth defects and disabilities.

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