Genetically Modified Babies
Speech Exam Grade VI – Personal Project
“Designer Babies”
Is this the child that you have envisioned in your future? Or maybe did you see your child with brown eyes rather than blue? Maybe more intellectually gifted? Or with the promise of performing well in sport?
What if there was a future where having a child was as simple as selecting desirable genes out of a catalogue? A future where technology granted parents the ability to design and perfect their children. The notion of “Designer Babies” seems absurd; however the rapid development of technology and the potential of gene manipulation could make this a startling reality.
Gene technology is becoming increasingly present in modern society, with scientists continually exploring the many possibilities that it could lead to. One pathway which proves very controversial, is the concept of human genetic engineering; involving the alteration of an individual’s genes with the aim of selecting and refining physical and mental characteristics. This is an appealing prospect for many people, as it holds the potential to cure genetic diseases and increase people’s immunity to viruses. However, it also carries the prospect of being harnessed to alter physical appearances and even improve mental faculties like memory and intelligence. Though this does bring to light many ethical concerns, the possibility of a future inhabited by genetically modified humans is becoming increasingly likely.
The prospect of GM humans stems from a current form of gene technology named; Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis or PGD. This enables couples at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to ensure their future children are unaffected. The capability of gene technology to perform such diagnostics on embryos has led to the possibility of this technology being harnessed to genetically engineer children.
The term “Designer Babies” refers to children whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected through genetic technology. In
“Designer Babies”
Is this the child that you have envisioned in your future? Or maybe did you see your child with brown eyes rather than blue? Maybe more intellectually gifted? Or with the promise of performing well in sport?
What if there was a future where having a child was as simple as selecting desirable genes out of a catalogue? A future where technology granted parents the ability to design and perfect their children. The notion of “Designer Babies” seems absurd; however the rapid development of technology and the potential of gene manipulation could make this a startling reality.
Gene technology is becoming increasingly present in modern society, with scientists continually exploring the many possibilities that it could lead to. One pathway which proves very controversial, is the concept of human genetic engineering; involving the alteration of an individual’s genes with the aim of selecting and refining physical and mental characteristics. This is an appealing prospect for many people, as it holds the potential to cure genetic diseases and increase people’s immunity to viruses. However, it also carries the prospect of being harnessed to alter physical appearances and even improve mental faculties like memory and intelligence. Though this does bring to light many ethical concerns, the possibility of a future inhabited by genetically modified humans is becoming increasingly likely.
The prospect of GM humans stems from a current form of gene technology named; Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis or PGD. This enables couples at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to ensure their future children are unaffected. The capability of gene technology to perform such diagnostics on embryos has led to the possibility of this technology being harnessed to genetically engineer children.
The term “Designer Babies” refers to children whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected through genetic technology. In