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Genetic Engineering

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Genetic Engineering

1. Describing the Topic

Over the last few years, civilization has led to many vulnerabilities in human life

including diseases such as cancers and diabetes. Researchers have continually strived to explore

the tree of knowledge; however, some studies show that researchers have always run the risk of

discovering something that society can't handle or it becomes unacceptable. The documentary

Unnatural Selection available on Netflix shows scientists who have being recombining DNA

(rDNA) to alter the genetic structure and makeup living organisms. Genetic revolution entails a

gene-editing method called Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats CRISPR;

this is the process whereby it finds the specific bit of DNA within a cell within altering its core

sequence (The genetic revolution, n.d.). The methods have been used in many animals and plants

in the past. Today the same process is done to people where four Nucleotides are paired in the

molecule and makeup up a code that carries instructions; when the instructions are changed (after

modification) the being is also changed.

However, there are have been many debates surrounding genetic engineering. The

Unnatural Selection documentary shows that people altering with natural creation (God's

creation) do not care about the life of other people (The genetic revolution, n.d.). For instance,

engineered babies may feel uncomfortable later in life after they find out that they have specific

behaviors and features because of their parent's decision. Also, some people may take other

people's health into their own hands; this could lead to bioweapons as people think they are in

control of everything. From the documentary people, genetic engineering has several advantages

and disadvantages; it also suggested more regulations on genetic engineering.

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2. Ethical and Moral Issues

Right vs. right involves many concepts which can include individual good vs. community

good and long-term good vs. short-term good. Moreover, right vs. wrong perspectives include

the views of doing a good thing alongside a moral guide while wrong is doing something

unethical and immoral.

Right Vs. Right

Genetic engineering would include saving many people on the planet and eradicating

several diseases. Some of these ideas are associated with their families and they may modify the

genes to have conquered the disease completely (The genetic revolution, n.d.). That would be a

good thing for the family and the future offspring. On the other right, the activities are viewed as

an advantage of specific individuals in the society; for instance, in the documentary, a couple

went through the process to have an engineered baby. Some of the characteristics the couple

gave include blue eyes and blonde hair (The genetic revolution, n.d.). Therefore, the

specification is made to please the couple and not about diseases or other important things.

Another individual good vs. community good scenario is where a leader may wish to make super

soldiers protect the nations. However, on the other hand, this can be seen to be influenced by

individuals' needs as opposed to societal needs. For instance, biological weapons and super

soldiers may be created by a dictator who may affect the lives of other people in other nations.

When eradicating some diseases and child's problems which is a good thing, studies still show

that people are not considering the lives of other people in the victim's lineage. The study needs

to have ethical and moral conformity as well as regulation which considers long-term advantages

and benefit to the society (Aach et al., 2017).

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Right Vs. Wrong

Genetic engineering is beneficial since it increases an individual's life expectancy. The

documentary shows that aging-related deaths are at an average of 150000 per year; the problem

would be curbed through genetic engineering (Unnatural selection., n.d.). However, Some people

believe that the process of transporting animal and human genes is reckless and repugnant.

Therefore, since scientific discovery does not take long-term-process consideration and some

changes in humans may lead to more problems in the past (The genetic revolution, n.d.). A

child who misses copies of the RPE 65 gene would eventually go blind; however, with genetic

engineering, the child can be helped in her life (Unnatural selection., n.d.). However, this could

be a problem in society since many people would not afford to get the process done for their

child. Therefore, there would be some form of social disparity and discrimination to those

parents who can’t afford it and those who lack genetic babies in their families. Some biohackers

say that some genes are capable of regrowing someone's kidney and other advantages. However,

other concerned individuals feel that some people may be kidnapped and become human subjects

in some tests. There lacks of regulation on genetic engineering as people think they are superior

to any other being and they have the authority to control their lives.

3. Who is Involved? Do they have different Ethical Expectations and Demands?

The area of genetic engineering has been noted to be involved by many people including

researchers, physicians, nurses, operating theatre, parents, biohackers, and individuals. Some of

them have distinguished ethical demands and expectations (Unnatural selection., n.d.). Some

doctors and physicians are working to help patients live healthy lives and are given consent by

some parents; for instance, in the case of engineered babies parents are the ones who permit them

to undergo the process. However, some doctors and physicians are profit-oriented and they
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operate their businesses for money without minding the lives of other people. Moreover, the

nurse is facing challenging situations from genetic and genomic technologies. Nurses may be

employed in areas where they are needs to be loyal to the employers and they may violate some

ethical codes and human rights. Finally, biomarkers are continually testing the genes on

themselves without collaboration with other researchers and government bodies; some of their

discoveries may seem appropriate but later become something that humans cannot handle in the

future.

4. Fitness of Ethical Issue in Kidder’s ethical dilemma paradigms

The paradigm entails the identification of relevant facts surrounding the moral issue. Kidder's

ethical dilemma paradigms take four main considerations in both right vs. right and right vs.

wrong. The moral issues do not ethical fitness in Kidder's ethical dilemma paradigms (Johnson,

2020). Several issues are not considered in the process. Most importantly genetic engineering

does not have a clear identification of those who are caring out the moral issue in the face of

everybody in the society. Below is the illustration of the ethical and moral issues in Kidder's

paradigm.

Right vs. Wrong

Legal test Legality Testing on one’s self is illegal

Deciding other people's life is

a violation of human rights

Moral test Will it be done by higher Biohackers are doing it

moral stature individual (Unnatural selection., n.d.)

Publicity test What is it is a public matter? Not everyone is comfortable

with it
Intuition test Personal moral principles Some people think it's good

Others it is modifying natural

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creation
Right vs. Right
Justice vs mercy Is the issue fair, out of love or Profit oriented

empathy And advancement niche

Empathy
Truth vs. loyalty Nurses vs doctor To secure a job out of loyalty

And physicians vs. private

sector scenario
Individual vs. community Them, us, others Individual influenced more

than community well-being

Long-term vs. short-term Futures goals, now, the Includes both cases

immediate cause But babies health issues may

be short-term causing the

long-term issue (Aach et al.,

2017)

5. Classical Resolution

The process has proved to have a potential significance in dealing with diseases that have

been caused by civilization. Some researchers have come to show the processes and their

capabilities. However, the problems can become a problem in the future if some consideration is

made for individual needs in society. The process has proved be have been working on people as

biohackers are actively working on themselves. It has several benefits such as regrowing of the

kidney, conquering some diseases such as obesity, creating super soldiers, and increasing life

expectancy. The best way to handle the matter is to have a uniform body from all governments to

regulate and control such activities. This includes having new regulations and ethical changes in
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institutions. Such an approach will ensure moral issues are performed by a morally statured

individual for everyone in society.

6. Lessons Learnt

The study shows people in the society that they need to have to make ethical uprights

decisions when deciding anything on Genetic Engineering areas. Some parents are taught to

mind the lives of other people in the future from the family and the victim. A couple may

adversely affect the lives of other individuals and support discrimination in society. Moreover, a

parent needs to undergo such a process for beneficial needs as opposed to beauty and uniqueness.

Most importantly, society should seek those services which are legally accepted.

References

Aach, J., Lunshof, J., Iyer, E., & Church, G. M. (2017). Addressing the ethical issues raised by

synthetic human entities with embryo-like features. Elife, 6, e20674.

Johnson, E. S. (2020). Ethical Decision-Making in Educational Leadership. Handbook on

Promoting Social Justice in Education, 785-802.

The genetic revolution. (n.d.). Curiosity Stream. https://curiositystream.com/video/3978?

playlist=73

Unnatural selection. (n.d.). Netflix - Watch TV Shows Online, Watch Movies Online.

https://www.netflix.com/ke-en/title/80208910