Many people today think the idea of genetic engineering and cloning is a fine idea. But they are blinded by the phenomenon it has caused and no one sees what the effects are. According to the dictionary, the definition of genetic engineering is “the scientific alteration of the structure of genetic material in a living organism.” It involves the production and use of recombinant DNA and has been employed to create bacteria that synthesize insulin and other human proteins. Genetic Engineering can cause many problems. If we do use genetic engineering, it will cause the eliminations of specific genes. The meaning of humans will be destroyed and who knows what the world will turn into. By stopping the use of genetic engineering, it will keep us from the many problems it will cause in the future.
If we continue to use genetic engineering, our world will start to be unbalanced and unethical. It is morally unacceptable and it is a risk that can cause a lot of harm. “Genetic enhancement, not only is permanent during the entire lifetime of the affected individual, the transgene becomes inheritably transmitted to countless members of future generations.” (Gert, Bernard) It is “playing with God” and can produce an unbalanced universe. Children are born with their own personalities and special talents and looks that make them who they are, than who they were made to be. By using genetic engineering, people are producing what they want their kids to be like, rather than accepting them the way they’re born. ” To appreciate children as gifts is to accept them as they come, not as products of our design or instruments of our ambition.” (Sandel, Michael) It is so wrong how parents could create their own child instead of accepting them for who they are or who they will become. Genetic engineering will also lead to causing prejudice of families all around us. If for example, a family doesn’t have enough money or doesn’t want to use the method of genetic engineering, then other families, who do use it, will think they are better than them. This will lead to many people fighting and lead to disputes.
Another reason why genetic engineering is harmful is because this is a topic that no one really understands. Genetic engineering is very complicated and no one can understand everything about it yet. “No one yet has provided a strong theoretical argument demonstrating that genetic engineering to produce enhanced size, strength, intelligence, or increased resistance to toxic substances is morally problematic.” (Gert, Bernard) No one is 100% sure of anything. If people start to do genetic engineering, thinking it looks cool, they can be wasting their money to find the bad effects it will leave us with. With the economy already being terrible, the cost of genetic engineering will not help at all. Between the dangers, costs, and the problems that will occur with families, genetic engineering will just cause more and more problems. “Some people already argue that using that to select the sex of your child is fine, or perhaps for medical reasons. But what about other features? What if we could choose their hair color and type, their eye colors, their sexual orientation, their level of intelligence, their musical or writing ability or sports, dance, or artistic aptitude?” (Sandel, Michael) In the long run, it will not be worth the little changes that actually can help us.
Despite all these bad effects, research states that genetic engineering does have positive aspects. “Cloning is something we think we understand.” (Oliver Morton) Some people do think that they know enough about genetic engineering to move forward and do it. They also think that genetic engineering is ethical and not exactly unnatural. It is our choice on what to do with people in the world, and all the little changes that come naturally are unnatural but help shape us and the world. “Nature has been making choices for 4 billion years; every base in the human genome is a result of those natural selections, just as every byte of a computer program is a choice between yes and no. This record has given us our knowledge, but it is no guide to how to use it. Those choices must be made not on the basis of what has worked before—which is all nature can ever offer us—but on the basis of what we want, individually and collectively.” (Morton, Oliver) Also, it can be helpful for cloning organs. If someone is sick and needs an exact organ, doctors can use genetic engineering to clone the organ and give it to the recipient and save a life.
Still, the risks of genetic engineering outweigh the benefits. Blinded by the phenomenon that genetic engineering has cause, no one sees the dangers and troubles it causes. It will leave us with lasting effects and it will cause many bad things. Genetic engineering, the alteration and recombination of genetic material by technological means, resulting in transgenic organisms, can cause the eliminations of specific genes and cause our world to become unbalanced and unethical. The true meaning of humans will be destroyed and who knows what the world will turn into after that. To keep us from the many problems it will cause, genetic engineering should be banned and not done to protect our future and our world.


Works Cited

Gert, Bernard. "Genetic Engineering of Humans Is Largely Unethical." Opposing Viewpoints: Genetic Engineering. Ed. James D. Torr. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. SUFFERN SR HIGH SCHOOL. 21 Mar. 2010 <http://e-brary.ramapocentral.org:2082/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010138219&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=suff14876&version=1.0>.

Kass, Leon R. "Genetic Engineering Threatens Human Dignity." Opposing Viewpoints: Genetic Engineering. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. SUFFERN SR HIGH SCHOOL. 21 Mar. 2010 <http://e-brary.ramapocentral.org:2082/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010138243&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=suff14876&version=1.0>.

Morton, Oliver. "Genetic Engineering of Humans Is Ethical." Opposing Viewpoints: Genetic Engineering. Ed. James D. Torr. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. SUFFERN SR HIGH SCHOOL. 21 Mar. 2010 <http://e-brary.ramapocentral.org:2082/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010138218&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=suff14876&version=1.0>.

Sandel, Michael. "Genetically Designing Babies Is Unethical." At Issue: Reproductive Technology. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. SUFFERN SR HIGH SCHOOL. 21 Mar. 2010 <http://e-brary.ramapocentral.org:2082/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010328217&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=suff14876&version=1.0>.