FREE ESSAY ON SHOULD WE GENETICALLY ENGINEER OURSELVES?

SHOULD WE GENETICALLY ENGINEER OURSELVES?

SHOULD WE GENETICALLY ENGINEER OURSELVES?
Should we use new genetic information to alter our own DNA to make ourselves more adept?
Last winter, scientist made a major break through in genetic engineering. They finished a
complete map of DNA of a complex organism. Although the animal that they broke down is a
simple flat worm, over 40% of its DNA sequence match our own. This is an astounding leap
forward for genetic engineers. Genetic engineering is the use of lasers and/or chemicals
to alter the sequences of nucleotides, which are the bases of DNA. Many people throughout
the world greatly oppose genetic engineering. Calling it unethical, anti-Christianity and
dangerous. I feel genetics can help us so much, all these controversies are nothing when
amounted to the utopian health of the entire human race that could be achieved. 
Many of the Islamic countries have laws prohibiting such research in genetics. The
Islamic holy book, The Koran, forbids any man from changing himself. Allah, the Islamic
god, made the Muslim people in his own likeness and cast away all people who change his
work. Likewise, in Christianity, God made Adam and Eve in his likeness. He also makes it
that any man that changes the body that the Father has blessed him with shall be exiled
away to Hell. I counter this argument with the question, If God and Allah loved their
people so much, then why did they let their people become sick and have pain? I believe
as a Christian, God would not have given us the knowledge to use genetics if he did not
want us to change ourselves. The exact same theory applies to all religions. We are only
better suiting ourselves to please our God.
Ethics are always a major factor in wars, medicine and politics. Ethics play the part in
genetics by posing the question why? Ethical oppressors believe that the human race
should be left as is. They fear a super-human race taking over the world and a new type
of racism and discrimination would result between the new human race and the old human
race. I believe such a theory is very foolish. Genetics can not be used to make one more
intelligent or faster reacting. The genetics that scientist are researching the genes
that cause genetic diseases, such as Down Syndrome, Turner Syndrome, hemophilia and color
blindness. They are manipulating DNA to take away diseases that slow down progression and
cause families to be hurt. Imagine a world without sickle-cell anemia, or Diabetes. A
world where cancer is very little known of and when found can easily be treated by
genetic therapy. Little disease would be tolerated in our bodies. Virus would be
destroyed by genetically engineered white blood cells; AIDS would be cut down in a few
years. Life expectancy would be almost 90 years old. Even the common cold would be gone,
even with the viruses' constant mutations.
One last fear of DNA manipulation is the fear of what if a bacteria or virus found a
weakness? What if an epidemic started and spread fiercely that our great new genetically
enhanced white blood cells could not handle? All of the human race would be susceptible
to? True, it has happened in the past with corn that was genetically engineered. But such
an epidemic is very highly unlikely. It did happen in corn, but that corn was merely an
experiment. If we would do this to ourselves, it wouldn't be an experiment; it would be a
medical treatment. Where all possible outside attacks would be known and could be stopped
quickly. There is no fear that an epidemic would break out and it is unrealistic that the
entire human race could be wiped out to the point of extinction in a matter of a few
weeks.
I feel genetic engineering can give us so much. There are some good reasons why we should
not continue such research, but I think that the positive effects of making ourselves
more perfect are dominant over little ethical issues. With DNA manipulation, we can lead
better, healthier, and longer lives. A utopian life of health awaits us ahead and such
criticism can only delay and hurt ourselves.