Thursday, 5 May 2011
Freedom of Speech and other things.
Although this blog will focus for the most part focus on the ethics of genetics, freedom of speech is also a part of that subject. Without freedom of speech there would be no one debating the ethics of genetics, just lambs lining up and having their genes go through random processes to look for interesting results. People have argued over whether toying with one's genes are ethical ever since gene therapy came to the spotlight. Some of the arguments have been that it is wrong to play God, or that it isn't right to use the stem cells found in aborted fetuses in attempts to cure various genetic diseases, that may only be cured through such methods. The question that I wonder is that if it allows them to live longer lives, why would they shy away from it?
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Hi Tim,
ReplyDeleteWe will look at an ethical theories: that the means justifies the ends; conversely that the means cannot justify the ends. This topic will be very relevant to those theories. When we get there, if I forget, please remind me. [lwm]
As long as the end result is beneficial in some way, genetically engineering in any way-cures or super soldiers-should be allowed. Of course extensive testing should happen before any humans are injected else we'll have a hulk on our hands... and in relation to the comment above me (and i seem to say this a lot) the ends justify the means
ReplyDeleteQuite so, but in the long run we are actually very far from some of the things you mentioned. Even if we were to achieve such things the cost would probably be too high to be risked.
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