User:Craigdias

“Researchers Claim to Create Genetically Modified Children” This article is primarily concerned with the prospect and potential risks of inadvertently genetically altering babies through certain fertility treatments known as cytoplasmic transfer. In such a procedure, cytoplasm, the material surrounding the nucleus, is taken from the eggs of fertile women and injected into the eggs of women undergoing the fertility treatment. However, in doing so, mitochondria are also transferred from the donor to the recipient, and it doing so, mitochondrial DNA is also transferred. The result is a baby with DNA from three different people and the potential possibility of serious mitochondria-related disease later in life. This article demonstrates some of the potential risks of genetic manipulation, particularly that of illness or genetic malfunction later in life. This concern is also presented in Brave New World as some of the genetically manipulated groups suffer from certain illnesses.

“The Threat of Human Genetic Engineering” In this article, the concept of genetic discrimination is entertained. With differences come discrimination, and once the world is proliferated with genetically-altered people alongside normal, unmodified people, there is likely to be disputes. At first, genetic manipulation will only be affordable by a certain, high-level elite, and this will surely create the separation of the elitists and the “normals. The article describes the elitists, or “GenoRich” group as being in control of all of society and its inner works. This idea is almost exactly the same as that in Brave New World. The higher-level Alphas or genetically benefited control much of society, while the lower castes or non-genetically altered people work the labor-intensive jobs to keep everything running.

“Who owns your DNA?” The increasing trend of biotech companies patenting certain genetic information discovered is addressed in this article. It’s fairly simple, a research company or university discovered a gene that, for example, allows the HIV virus to invade cells. They apply for a patent on the research and information found and then charge other research companies a royalty to use that information in their own research. This presents the problem of legally-hindered research into science that could improve the lives of many people around the world. It also sheds light on the prospect of buying certain genes to have put into your potential child. But the idea is also somewhat portrayed in Brave New World. People didn’t choose, it was chosen for them, but certain features were encouraged or discouraged through a sort of primitive genetic manipulation. This was done ultimately for a profit, or at least for a successful economy, which leads to profit for a few in power.

“Evangelical Bioethics and the Web” This article is about how religious figures questions how society has becoming more scientifically advanced and less focused on ethics that are brought up by many evangelical views. It isn’t completely biased and it also asks the question why scientists are continuing with this project that goes against the foundations of religious views. The interesting part is that this preacher has done his research already on the information about genetic engineering which really puts the scientists to the test.