We are genetic Gods, but what about our children? (part 2)
This is a story from the Storygeist. A blog focusing on the near future narratives in Technology and Spirituality which are impacting our society, the core family and the individual.
If we leave the whole gene therapy out of the equations. Just for a moment. Are we in the clear then? Or come to think of it, do we not make a ton of procreational choices now? Consciously or unconsciously, we do. Are we not prepared to supply our children with all kinds of minerals, vitamins, diet supplements. All this in the name of a healthier future for them. If we go further with this thinking, then the whole raising of our children is actually about these kind of choices. The best of schools, the best toys, and the best teachers, caretakers. All in all the best opportunites we as parents can afford. Who would want to save money on that? Would you? We as parents, feel naturally inclined and responsible to provide our children with the very best. So you could actually make an argument, why wouldn’t you want to give the same to your child before it was born? What’s wrong with that?
So if we backtrack a few steps here and conclude we want to stay with only curing the diseases. If that is out ethical border, then where exactly is it supposed to be placed? Let’s see another example which I think illustrates curing diseased is far from so ethically black and white. A deaf lesbian couple from Chicago decided to conciously choose the embryos which would give them children witth the same character traits of deafness as them. The couple were convinced that their lack of hearing wasn’t some kind of ailment but a natural human state. And they wished for their children to be exaclty like them.This case cuased a huge public stir and caused opposing ethical camps. And it’s still difficult to actually position one self in this matter. Is it the curing of a disease or simply causing irreversible damage to one’s offspring?The starting point should be: Do these practices (gene therapies) hurt anyone? If so who do they hurt? If they don`t hurt the kid, the parents or society, then in my opinion, they should be made legal. This is surely not the best use of the public money, but if someone is prepared to pay for it, why should it be illegal?, Philosopher Ole Martin Moen (Source: klikk.no)
So what about our children? Are we to give them the best chance at a healthy life through different genetic manipulations? Or do we not only stop there but we supply our children with the best character and physical traits a life can give? Is it supposed to be regulated by the state or do we just leave it to the single family unit and their own moral compasses? And are we not moving dangerously close to the Hitler’s Eugenics program? How far are we prepared to go, morally and financially in this case?Are our children supposed to be there for us, only to satisfy our often egoisitc needs and demands or will we be there for them, so we can raise them in unconditional love?, Piotr Ryczko
For the first part of this article please go here:
Portfollio
