GENETIC ENGINEERING: GOOD or BAD ?

old europe wrote:

OmSigDAVID wrote:

If I were going to have a son,
and if genetic engineering were possible to accomplish it,
I 'd consider it my moral responsibility
to create him as well as possible.

Hence, I 'd build him for robust good health for centuries,
including better, sharper eyesight, more acute hearing,
better n longer lasting memory, better ability to reason,
fast & ez ability to learn, mathematical talents, fine powers of articulation,
stronger bones n mucsels, good teeth, oval shaped face, blonde n blue eyed, accurate marksman

And wud he hav dark skinn, too?

There is little advantage in that.
He 'd be lightly complected,
compatibly with aforesaid blonde hair n blue eyes.
David

Hey david - I'm sure you realize the racist implications in your thread's premise.
But I'm guessing that you would dismiss any hint of motives like that being ascribed to you, right?

OmSigDAVID wrote:

old europe wrote:

OmSigDAVID wrote:

If I were going to have a son,
and if genetic engineering were possible to accomplish it,
I 'd consider it my moral responsibility
to create him as well as possible.

Hence, I 'd build him for robust good health for centuries,
including better, sharper eyesight, more acute hearing,
better n longer lasting memory, better ability to reason,
fast & ez ability to learn, mathematical talents, fine powers of articulation,
stronger bones n mucsels, good teeth, oval shaped face, blonde n blue eyed, accurate marksman

And wud he hav dark skinn, too?

There is little advantage in that.
He 'd be lightly complected,
compatibly with aforesaid blonde hair n blue eyes.
David

What's the disadvantage of having dark skin?

snood wrote:

Hey david - I'm sure you realize the racist implications in your thread's premise.
But I'm guessing that you would dismiss any hint of motives like that being ascribed to you, right?

I have not suggested that any race have a monopoly
on genetic freedom; hence, any members of any race
can genetically condition their progeny, as thay choose, when that becomes possible.

In my opinion, genetic freedom shud be available to everyone, the same as use of mathematics.
That 's all that counts, so far as I can see. All that counts is personal freedom.
In that vein, what is more important:
I have suggested that he who is thusly created
shud have the ability to change himself according to his taste,
if he were not entirely satisfied with his parents' genetic choices for him.

If I live long enuf that it actually becomes POSSIBLE to improve
my abilities, including health, and my appearance, I WILL do so.

I respect the right of anyone else to do so,
as a matter of free choice, if it becomes possible.
David

old europe wrote:

OmSigDAVID wrote:

If I were going to have a son,
and if genetic engineering were possible to accomplish it,
I 'd consider it my moral responsibility
to create him as well as possible.

Hence, I 'd build him for robust good health for centuries,
including better, sharper eyesight, more acute hearing,
better n longer lasting memory, better ability to reason,
fast & ez ability to learn, mathematical talents, fine powers of articulation,
stronger bones n mucsels, good teeth, oval shaped face, blonde n blue eyed, accurate marksman

And wud he hav dark skinn, too?

There is little advantage in that.
He 'd be lightly complected,
compatibly with aforesaid blonde hair n blue eyes.
David

OmSigDAVID wrote:

old europe wrote:

OmSigDAVID wrote:

If I were going to have a son,
and if genetic engineering were possible to accomplish it,
I 'd consider it my moral responsibility
to create him as well as possible.

Hence, I 'd build him for robust good health for centuries,
including better, sharper eyesight, more acute hearing,
better n longer lasting memory, better ability to reason,
fast & ez ability to learn, mathematical talents, fine powers of articulation,
stronger bones n mucsels, good teeth, oval shaped face, blonde n blue eyed, accurate marksman

And wud he hav dark skinn, too?

There is little advantage in that.
He 'd be lightly complected,
compatibly with aforesaid blonde hair n blue eyes.
David

You scare the hell out of me, David.

OmSigDAVID wrote:

snood wrote:

Hey david - I'm sure you realize the racist implications in your thread's premise.
But I'm guessing that you would dismiss any hint of motives like that being ascribed to you, right?

I have not suggested that any race have a monopoly
on genetic freedom; hence, any members of any race
can genetically condition their progeny, as thay choose, when that becomes possible.

In my opinion, genetic freedom shud be available to everyone, the same as use of mathematics.
That 's all that counts, so far as I can see. All that counts is personal freedom.
In that vein, what is more important:
I have suggested that he who is thusly created
shud have the ability to change himself according to his taste,
if he were not entirely satisfied with his parents' genetic choices for him.

If I live long enuf that it actually becomes POSSIBLE to improve
my abilities, including health, and my appearance, I WILL do so.

I respect the right of anyone else to do so,
as a matter of free choice, if it becomes possible.
David

You're even more clueless than I'd feared.

Intrepid wrote:

OmSigDAVID wrote:

old europe wrote:

OmSigDAVID wrote:

If I were going to have a son,
and if genetic engineering were possible to accomplish it,
I 'd consider it my moral responsibility
to create him as well as possible.

Hence, I 'd build him for robust good health for centuries,
including better, sharper eyesight, more acute hearing,
better n longer lasting memory, better ability to reason,
fast & ez ability to learn, mathematical talents, fine powers of articulation,
stronger bones n mucsels, good teeth, oval shaped face, blonde n blue eyed, accurate marksman

And wud he hav dark skinn, too?

There is little advantage in that.
He 'd be lightly complected,
compatibly with aforesaid blonde hair n blue eyes.
David

You scare the hell out of me, David.

I wudn 't hurt u, Intrepid; ( be INTREPID ! )

If u explain the reason for your fear,
I will undertake to quiet it for u.
David

Quote:

Genetic engineering and eugenics are two completely different things.
I am in favor of genetic engineering to correct defective genes
(my husband's brother died of muscular dystrophy,
with genetic engineering he could have lived a long and healthy life).

Quote:

I do not think that the government can be trusted to decide
which individuals are allowed to breed or the limit the choices people
make about reproduction.

My thought concerned individual choices
of a genetic nature for one 's progeny,
or if it were possible,
for oneself; CERTAINLY NOT to grant jurisdiction to government
in this matter.

Quote:

If you may legally choose or reject potential mates based on physical appearance
in order to enhance the probability of those traits being passed to your offspring,
why shouldn't you be able to screen your own sperm/eggs
and select those that have the traits of your choice?

Good point.

I assumed that.
I was only contemplating advancements in genetic technology,
and " ethics " related thereto.

Terry wrote:

Quote:

Genetic engineering and eugenics are two completely different things.
I am in favor of genetic engineering to correct defective genes
(my husband's brother died of muscular dystrophy,
with genetic engineering he could have lived a long and healthy life).

Quote:

I do not think that the government can be trusted to decide
which individuals are allowed to breed or the limit the choices people
make about reproduction.

My thought concerned individual choices
of a genetic nature for one 's progeny,
or if it were possible,
for oneself; CERTAINLY NOT to grant jurisdiction to government
in this matter.

Quote:

If you may legally choose or reject potential mates based on physical appearance
in order to enhance the probability of those traits being passed to your offspring,
why shouldn't you be able to screen your own sperm/eggs
and select those that have the traits of your choice?

Good point.

I assumed that.
I was only contemplating advancements in genetic technology,
and " ethics " related thereto.

Do you understand the complexity of xenophobia?

My thought concerned individual choices
of a genetic nature for one 's progeny,
or if it were possible,
for oneself; CERTAINLY NOT to grant jurisdiction to government
in this matter.

OmSigDAVID wrote:

My thought concerned individual choices
of a genetic nature for one 's progeny,
or if it were possible,
for oneself; CERTAINLY NOT to grant jurisdiction to government
in this matter.

Quote:

You know the government would get involved

I fear that it might;
I don 't know that it wud.

What do u propose that we do about this ?
Shall we end the advancement of science,
in the spirit of the Inquisition,
when it subjected Galileo to permanent house arrest ?

Quote:

- if nothing else to license and regulate genetic engineers and put limits on what changes could be made: no extreme modifications such as 8-foot future-basketball-players, gills, fur, over-sized breasts or muscles, or any of the other ridiculous features you KNOW someone would try to saddle their offspring with. At least silly names can be changed; bodies probably couldn't.

Then it wud become a question of defeating government,
such as for instance, by going elsewhere to get the job done
of improving man.

As it was said in the Jurasic Park movie: " Life will find a way. "
David