Journal #3: Genetically Engineered "Designer Babies"

We're all curious about what sort of technology or medical advances and opportunities (like flying cars) the world will offer in the future. Well, at least I am. And with a quick Google search on the futuristic upcoming to have a glance on the hypothetical situation, I found something very interesting.

(Life in 2050, take a look)

And it is the "Genetically engineered babies for the riches" portion of the very long list. With another quick Google search, I looked up more of this human genetic engineering business. On the whole, this performance is defined as the alteration of an individual's genotypes to for certain phenotypes. In other words, parents could now pick the hereditary traits of their child: gender, skin color, eye color, hair color, along with hundreds other characteristics to be programmed into their embryo before birth. The embryo is then grown in an artificial uterus. Supposedly, it could also modify the child's brain, therefore affecting the intelligence, behavior and even personality.


and then later, my inquisitiveness led me to this:

(More About Genetic Engineered Babies)

Growing a baby—not just in Sci-Fi 

Now, it is definitely ambivalence I feel about this practice. First of all, the possibilities this could offer is astounding. Individuals could be adjust just so they are less susceptible to genetic diseases along with other tragic mutations that are largely dependable on their families. And if we can  simultaneously give our children pretty blue (or brown, no discrimination) eyes, then why not?

The problem is the unknown. Our bodies are mazes of complex interrelationships and signals. Bettering one thing could lead to destruction of another. More importantly, it is also the controlled atmosphere that is especially troubling. If we could choose the model of our child, where would be the diversity and gamble with every birth? The spice of life our world takes so keenly, that enhances our ability to adapt and evolve and not be wiped out, or worse, extinct, if our planet were ever to experience a large catastrophe? But so far, human engineering remains a noble medical practice that eliminates only the harmful genes . It is the promises it holds that stirs up conflicted emotions amongst people.


Citations


Author Name: Arnold P.
Title of Web Document:  The Downside of Human Genetic Engineering
Title of the Hoisting Website: Brighthub.com
Date Rretrieved: Nov 3rd
Date: October 14th, 2009

Author Name: Will Fox
Title of Web Document:  2050 Demographics Projections
Title of the Hoisting Website: Futuretimeline
Publishing Organization: Will Fox
Date Rretrieved: Nov 3rd
Date: 2012