Term paper on Genetic Engineering

Free Genetic Engineering papers

Government Intervention Of The Internet

During the past decade, our society has become based solely on the ability to move
large amounts of information across large distances quickly.  Computerization has
influenced everyone's life. The natural evolution of computers and this need for
ultra-fast communications ha

History Of The Computer Industry In America

Only once in a lifetime will a new invention come about to touch
every aspect of our lives.  Such a device that changes the way we work,
live, and play is a special one, indeed.  A machine that has done all
this and more now exists in nearly every business in the U.S.

Anti-technologists and political extremists

misinform, and over exaggerate statements that genetic engineering is not

part of the natural order of things.  The moral question of genetic

engineering can be answered by studying human evolution and the idea of

survival of the fittest.  The question of safety can be answered by

looking at the current precautions of the industry.  The concept that

society needs to understand is that with the right amount of time and money

genetic engineering will help reduce disease and save countless lives.

 Many people do not realize that genetic

engineering plays a role in many lives through out the world.  Genetic

engineering includes artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, sperm

banks, cloning, and gene manipulation (Goetz 178).  Synthetic insulin

is now available for use to treat diabetes.  This man made insulin

has many positive aspects, which include its life span, cost to manufacture

it, and the amount that is available.  The synthetic insulin lasts

two to three times longer than its natural form and costs substantially

less to manufacture than to extract it from an animal, primarily pigs. 

One other benefit is the amount that can be manufactured.  In pigs,

the scientists need to wait for it to mature to extract the insulin. 

The synthetic source is completely man made and any amount can be manufactured

in large quantities.

 The replication of insulin is not

the only way biotechnology is being utilized.  Today people receive

synthetic hormones that their body cannot produce such as growth hormones,

thyroid, estrogen, and testosterone.  Vaccines are also another form

of genetic engineering that has been used for many years.  Vaccines

already protect against disease to a certain extent, but for a virus like

HIV, it is too risky to inject somebody with a vaccine.  The reason

for this is because a vaccine is a solution that contains a dead or weakened

virus that has been synthetically prepared.  Further work on a HIV

vaccine could save many lives and possibly eliminate the disease. 

This biotechnology makes it possible for more people to live the lives

that would not have been available without genetic engineering.

 Plants are also being genetically

engineered.  This type of genetic engineering is more commonly accepted,

but why?  It is no different for a plant to be able to fight off pests

then it is for a human to be able to fight off diseases.  This is

a contradiction, because society is saying that it is all right for a plant

to be genetically engineered but not a human.

 This new technology of genetic engineering

dates back to the 1950’s.  IN 1951 three scientists, Francis Crick,

Maurice Wilkins, and James Dewey Watson, were credited with the discovery

of DNA.  Later they were presented the Nobel Prize in physiology and

medicine in 1962.  (Lewin 1)  DNA is also known as deoxyribonucleic

acid and it carries a living organisms genetic code.  The discovery

of DNA was the very beginning of genetic engineering.  Today the science

of biotechnology has evolved to a much higher level, but is still many

steps away from completely correcting damaged or diseased genes. 

The reason is partly to blame on the ignorance of society, because it believes

that genetic engineering is wrong.  The part of genetic engineering

that is wrong is holding back the natural process of science evolution.

 Some benefits are used in medicine

today, but the real benefits will come as genes can be altered more. 

The real benefit that will help mankind is when bioengineers will be able

to replace a cancer or defective gene with a gene that does not have an

error in its genetic code.  “The new science of genetic engineering

aims to take a dramatic shortcut in the slow process of evolution” (Stableford

25).  What is meant by the previous quote is that scientists hope

to take a gene from an organism and change it so that it will be immune

to certain diseases and free from cancer.  For example, many years

ago small pox was widely spread.  Today it is almost nonexistent,

because of the evolution of man.  The only problem with this was it

took hundreds of years for our genetic code to adapt and make our bodies

fight it.

 The moral question of genetic engineering

is answered by looking at the advances in medicine.  Today the advancements

in medicine are evolving at an extremely high rate.  If the science

of genetic engineering is wrong, then so are the rest of the advances in

medicine.  The reason is because genetic engineering is just another

form of medical advancement.  Gene manipulation is not going to be

used for any other purpose except for the treatment and elimination of

disease.  The one thing that people need to realize is the potential

of genetic engineering.  Try to visualize what parents of a child

is dying from a disease like multiple sclerosis think about the benefits

of genetic engineering.  Do they think that it is morally wrong or

right?  They think that it is right because it is going to save their

child’s life.

 Cloning is another form of genetic

engineering that is not accepted as morally right.  For example, to

clone a human heart scientists do not have to clone the whole person. 

They only need to clone the heart by itself (http://www.humancloning.org/user/infertil/humancloning.html). 

This process of cloning would eliminate transplants and the use of anti-rejection

drugs.  It is; however, wrong to clone a whole human being. 

There would be no purpose in cloning a person, because it offers science

little or no benefits.  Some people say that if they could clone Albert

Einstein much more could be learned about science and the theory of relativity. 

This is not true.  If somebody is cloned, it does not mean it will

be the same person in every way.  It only means that their genetic

makeup will be exactly alike.  The environment in which they grow

up plays a major role in the development of the person’s personality.

 Safety of genetic engineering is

something that presents much concern.  Looking at the current precautions

and previous precautions of the biotechnological industry can clear up

the safety issue.  Today the Federal and State Governments set many

limitations on biotechnological industries.  The FDA and State Governments

impose limits such as the illegalization of human cloning and limits on

other genetic engineering processes.  The only legal forms of genetic

engineering that are used today are in vitro fertilization, artificial

insemination, and sperm banks.  Another form of genetic engineering

is the use of gene therapy.  Gene therapy is illegal because people

should not be able to create the perfect child, but they should be able

to correct a gene in a child if it has a chance of being born with Down

syndrome.  The safety precautions...