Human DNA Engineering and What Is the Conscience of Changing Human Race - Research Paper Example

Human DNA Engineering and what is the conscience of changing human race The world has changed and is constantly changing. Man is in the pursuit of achievements, innovations, upgrade and advancement. There is something that keeps humanity driving itself upwards to ever higher levels of achievement and this even goes beyond the need for survival or even the concept of natural selection. Man knowledge has heightened so much that it no longer seeks what is below its capacity. Rather it seeks even further and even more complex that it penetrates man existence. The desire to seek God or some form of perfection has been a constant theme through the eons of time and in all cultures around the world. Understanding more about human existence and live life based on the possibilities of higher evolution is something humans crave for. Evolution is a growth process that helps humans adapt and change to new opportunities and not just threats. And now given the state of the environment and the escalation of technological developments, is the need to evolve is evident (Quantum Change)? Human Genetic engineering has been the topic of the century after the success of cloning an animal during the early 90’s. The possibility of reproducing another human being passing the natural reproduction has been alive since then and has gathered tons and tons of scientific and moral opinions of whether it is righteous and should be pursued or way beyond humanity’s moral grasp and should be aborted. Biologically speaking, genetic engineering can be similarly defined as an evolution in the design of mans DNA but is different in the manner of execution. Evolution is a natural process and in the study of biology, according to Darwin’s natural selection, it took almost all species hundreds or even thousands of years to physically adapt to such environmental changes. Genetic engineering is far advance if compared to the natural adaptation process for it alters the DNA from the beginning to have the desired genetically engineered outcome. Cloning as people of the scientific world calls it, offers a breakthrough in human genome science and would change the whole face of the history of human existence. Religion calls it dismay to God’s natural ways, the social norms got stormed with different issues and yet the society must decide whether to support its pursuance amidst the many issues it is faced. What could be the future of genetic engineering? If given a chance to happen, genetic engineering can take out undesirable genes in human development. It can basically program an outcome of a genetically engineered person. Basically speaking, it is like having what is only desirable for a person—having genes that will have aesthetically desirable physical outcome such as pointed nose or a slender body or even emotional or cognitive values such as having artistic nature. All these are possible in genetic engineering because basically genes and DNA makes up a person and altering it will make such changes. Gene testing is also a significant issue in the field of DNA engineering. Through this the world will be free from genetically born abnormalities such as Trisomy 21. It can actually test the genes of the growing fetus of what it bears and what it will become once born. But the issue of morality on this is very high and controversial. Termination of the growing embryo once diagnosed to be bearing genetically undesirable traits is deemed as mere form if killing and moral enthusiast and the religious fights for the rights of the unborn despite the presence of genetic malformation. Thus amidst this breakthrough in human existence conflicts continuously arise. Moral debates still continue to arise. High failure rates and high morbidity rate experience from animal cloning strongly suggests its inapplicability to humans. Clone animals seem to suffer high deformity and disability rates (UNESCO 12). These risks are not morally or ethically right to bring a human clone to being, if successfully made, just to suffer from such painful diseases and deformity. Some experts have consequently hypothesized that cloned humans might need hip replacement surgery while still adolescent and might suffer from senility by the age of 20 (UNESCO 12). Rayner on the other hand looks at living things to be dynamic and thus such changes and development as an essential part of it (1997). Like a cell membrane is much more than a container - it expands contracts and warps as its circumstances change. An organism’s boundary is also dynamic, since organisms of all kinds are embedded in a complex web of interdependence. Dynamic boundaries are necessary if evolution is to take place at all. Dynamic boundaries allow evolution: they allow reproduction, they allow replication, and they allow important kinds of complex change such as mutation. They set up the necessary conditions for these processes to take place (Orthia, 2006). Despite technological and medical advances, human beings continue to live uneasily with one another. New technologies such as genetic manipulation and cloning pose debatable questions that are overlooked in the rush for commercial gain and such conflicts arise (Rayner, 1997). Clash of opinions regarding humanity and its future is a worldwide issue thus it covers all nations and can be a conflict of interest that can lead to massive miscommunication. There is no absolute boundary to human existence. Thus the possibility of changes is always an option even small organism like bacteria do so. Change therefore is essential otherwise the whole human race could have gone extinct. Differences in opinion only needs to be settled as conflicts and should be compromised. Despite the many probable gain human beings can procure from the utilization of this medical breakthrough such as transplants from human embryonic stem cells, probable clinical study of diseases, fertilization issues, transplant innovations and many more still the morality and respect to life and its dignity upholds internationally only proving that life in itself is a masterpiece and a breakthrough and no other discovery is worthy enough to take away life in any form. Thus genetic engineering is indeed a breakthrough but must be used only for the greater good of humanity. The future of genetic engineering and cloning is posing brilliance only if used wisely. It could offer breakthrough in medicines, disease control, food production and many more. Morality issues should be settled and compromised, the author of this essay believes that as civilized humans can be solutions to questions and debates can always be resolved into something beneficial for all. As Maturana & Varela puts it, a conflict can go away only if humans move to another domain where coexistence takes place (Maturana & Varela, 1992). Work Cited: Maturana H. & Varela F. (1992) Chapter 10: The Tree of Knowledge. The Biological Roots of Human Understanding. Shambhala, Boston Rayner, A.D.M. (1997) Degrees of Freedom – Living in Dynamic Boundaries. London: Imperial College Press. Quantum Change (2012) The DNA Protocol. Retrieved from: http://quantumchanges.wordpress.com/dna-realignment/ United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (2005). Human Cloning: ethical Issues. Paris: Place de Fontenoy Orthia L. (2000) Boundedness, Relationality and Evolution in Biological Systems. The Australian National University, ACT 0200 Australia Read More