Genetic Engineering 5
“Just as the success of a corporate body in making money need not set the human condition ahead, neither does every scientific advance automatically make our lives more meaningful” (Wald 45). These words were spoken by a Nobel Prize winning biologist and Harvard professor, George Wald, in a lecture given in 1976 on the Dangers of Genetic Engineering. This quotation states that incredible inventions, such as genetic engineering, are not always beneficial to society. Genetic engineering is “altering the genetic material of cells and/or organisms in order to make them capable of making new substances or performing new functions” (Wald 45). It is also one of the top controversial issues of the 20th century (Epstein 1). Many believe that continuing to provide genetically constructed inventions in this world is ethical, which means that these inventions conform to one’s moral standards (Epstein 5). Others argue that such inventions as human clones, which are genetically constructed humans, and other genetically created figures, are wrong and should be stopped (Epstein 5). Overwhelming textual evidence proves that genetic engineering is not beneficial to society. Accordingly, genetic engineering is unethical and therefore should be stopped. One reason why genetic engineering should cease is because genetic engineering disrupts society’s moral values and causes society to act out in destructive ways. An online survey done by Time Magazine in 1997, found that 11% of those who were interviewed believe that if clones are created in the future, the genetically created humans will only be good for “target practice” (Epstein 2). Another survey by the same magazine was conducted and found that 50% of those who were questioned believe that clones should be treated as lower beings and should not be given the same rights as unaltered humans (Epstein 2). Furthermore, a similar survey, completed by MacLeans Magazine in
Cited: Bereano, Phillip L. “Body and Soul: the Price of Biotech.” Seattle Times. 20 Aug. 1995: 18-20. Epstein, Ron. Ethical Dangers of Genetic Engineering. (http://online.sfsu.edu/~ron/gedanger.htm) (February 26, 2000). Wald, George. The Case Against Genetic Engineering. New Jersey: Englewood Cliffs, 1996.