There Is No Gene for the Human Spirit - Essay Example

Order: 164997 Topic: Philosophical Paper Word Count 173   Gattaca There is No Gene for the Human Spirit This film from director Andrew Niccol is an extraordinary look into eugenics, and genetic engineering in the near future. The dream of many which started in 1883 by Francis Galton, a British explorer and natural scientist influenced by Charles Darwins theory of natural selection. Supported later in the late 19 th century it became a serious scientific study then failing as a science in WWII when Nazis used eugenics to support the extermination of entire races, arising then severe ethical questions regarding "the survival of the fittest." (eugenics,2007) But because the quest for perfection has always been latent in human beings and organizations, in late June 2000, the press announced that a joined project between the public and private sectors had completed the map of human genome. When the two team leaders for both sectors where interviewed about the future of human engineering and specifically about "Designer babies" by paying customers, they both laughed in unison and responded; "Mostly what people want is offspring who are good looking smart, talented in one way or another and easy to get along with. The day when such complexities could be managed is not just a long way off, it will probably never arrive for a simple reason; Genes are not alone in determining such characteristics; the same genes in a different environment will yield a different personality." 1 Anton and Marie, a couple with "Old School" values, procreate their first child the old fashion way; leaving things to chance, and so Vincent is born with tremendous disadvantages for that society; a 99% probability of heart failure, 60% of a neurological condition, 42% maniac depression, and an 89% chance of developing ADD, predetermining his life expectancy up to 30 years. Years later they have another child, this time a perfectly engineered child of science. One who is born with the right of bearing the fathers name; Anton. Vincent soon understands that something very different is flowing through his veins. The blood brother scene is very significant because at that age, Vincent thinks if he gets a few drops of his brothers blood he might get a little of Antons virtues, deep inside he knows he will need more than just a few drops. Anton dismisses the game and I think that is a very decisive moment in Vincents life, he realizes he will have to go another route to do better and get the acceptance of his father. The swimming scenes show Vincents true nature; beating him to the race not by envy for his brothers endurance skills, but as a way of testing his own physical advancement. Setting in motion a trade only the oppressed have; determinism, When the so long desired yet unexpected victory result comes, he leaves a family that defeats him more than the engineering itself and embarks in a quest to find himself and maybe find an alternate route to reach his dream. For every code, there is always a breakthrough, for each discriminative law or rule, there will always be some to refuse it and find an extreme way of approach. Vincent finds an individual, who, per society standards is unscrupulous, who puts him in contact with Jerome, the ticket to his dream. Should humans be tested for abilities or created with abilities in the future, society would face pretty much the same scenario as in the film. Categorizing people opens the door to scrutinizing; either you have it or you dont, and the choices available to individuals would depend on their genes, confining those individuals who lack the right genes, and giving institutions the justification to discriminate. The sociological ramifications of such scrutiny would change our notion of free will and would lead to people loosing their jobs because of predisposition to some illnesses or the lack of certain traits, women aborting fetuses because of a genetic marker, and, should any woman decide to go with the pregnancy because she had the means to provide extra care for that in-valid being, will laws be created that could subject a mother to "wrongful life" claims by the child? Insurances would not cover those under-citizens and many defense lawyers would base the defense of their criminal clients on the basis of "wrong genes." (Morse, 1998, Vol.13) Which reminds us of the director at Gattaca, when he says: "You can check on my profile and you wont find a single violent gene." Yet he is the one to murder the director of the mission to Mars because of his threat of canceling the project. Irene is herself part in-valid because of her heart condition, she falls for the perfect guy because he is the perfect catch, yet when she shockingly witnesses Vincent beating the police officer she also learns through Vincent that she is able to overcome the impediment of running because of her heart condition. Changing then her viewpoint not only about herself but about Vincent as well. Her envious admiration changes to real loving admiration when she realizes he is better than the best engineered. This movie made me realize that the barrier to our desires lies only in our minds; Vincent goes farther in life than his brother in spite of his chosen genes. He saves him one more time in the ocean regardless of his heart condition and he gets the love of the perfect girl because of his courage and determinism. Jerome starts his arrangement with Vincent in a cynical way, at the end not only he crawls upstairs to save him but his attitude towards him changes as well, he ends up his life because he also "reached his dream" therefore he has nothing else to live for, he goes in peace knowing he became a better man. The final scene with the doctor is the best, Vincent knows hes finally caught but he does not care anymore, he has proven himself worthy. The doctor lets him know he knew all along because "right hand men dont hold it with their left," and he let it slip because "My son is not all they promised," realizing that "There is no gene for the human Spirit"   References   Morse, A. (1998). Searching for the Holy Grail: The Human Genome Project and Its Implications. Journal of Law and Health, 13(2), 219. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001503353 Rothenberg, K., & Wang, A. (2006). The Scarlet Gene: Behavioral Genetics, Criminal Law, and Racial and Ethnic Stigma. Law and Contemporary Problems, 69(1-2), 343+. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5017425015 Vash, C. L. (2001). Disability, Spirituality and the Mapping of the Human Genome. The Journal of Rehabilitation, 67(1), 33. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002395122   eugenics (2007) In Merrian-Webster Dictionary, Retrieved April 21. 2007, from Merrian-Webster Online Search Htpp://Webster.com/dictionary/eugenics eugenics (2007) In Encyclopedia Brittanica, Retrieved April 21, 2007, from Encyclopedia Brittanica Online http:www.brittanica.com/eb/article-9033201/eugenics Read More