Essay

PART ONE: Read “World’s First Gene Edited Babies Created” and “Fear of Dystopia Should Not Blind Us to Potential of Gene Editing” posted in the Topic 3 folder on Blackboard. Write your reaction to these articles.

PART TWO: In your group, find answers to the following questions about “Ethics and the New Genetics” by the Dalai Lama and write them in your notebook. Always indicate the paragraph number and underline the relevant passage on your photocopy so that you can find it again easily.

Paragraphs 1-6: For this section, write a short quotation that answers each of these questions.

1. How is time involved in the Dalai Lama’s concerns about genetic science?

2. How is money involved in the Dalai Lama’s concerns about genetic science?

3. What principle is a “key foundation” “underlying much of human ethics”?

4. Explain how this principle is not working as effectively now in dealing with the advances in genetic science?

5. Does the Dalai Lama think we should just put a stop to genetic research and technology?

Paragraphs 7-11

1. List some of the problems in the area of medicine and health care that could arise if people will be able to map their own genomes.

2. What question does the Dalai Lama ask about a situation in which a genetic disorder is detected in an embryo?

Paragraphs 16-21

1. This section deals with “the social and cultural consequence of new genetic technologies in their effect on the continuation of the species, through interference with the reproductive process” (par. 16). List some of examples of this interference from this section.

2. What kinds of problems could this “interference” cause? For individuals? For society?

3. What does “cherishing humanity” (par. 20) mean to the Dalai Lama? What is the true “value of a person”?

4. In paragraph 21, the Dalai Lama lists some positive aspects of our knowledge of the genome. List them.

Paragraphs 25-35

1. The Dalai Lama does not think we should base our ethical response to “the genetic revolution” (82) on religion or “purely secular, liberal political ideas such as individual freedom, choice, and fairness” (82). Explain what he means.

2. In paragraphs 26 and 27, the Dalai Lama states that he believes “the time is ripe to engage with the ethical side of the genetic revolution.” He then discusses several approaches that he does not believe are adequate for facing this challenge. List them.

3. Read paragraphs 28 to 35 carefully and list the Dalai Lama’s principle ideas about how we can use our increasing knowledge and power in the area of genetics in a morally responsible way.