Ethical Argument
Nathan Stephenson
College of Arts & Sciences, Liberty University
ENGL 101: Composition and Rhetoric
Dr. Josephine Foster
June 15, 2020
Ethical Argument
Scientist have been experimenting with gene editing for a long time, but recently it has
become a much less distant reality that one may be able to edit an embryos gene. While this may
sound like an amazing and wonderful thing, there is a moral and ethical facet that must be looked
at. When someone changes the gene of an embryo, they are effectively changing the life it will
have and to some this could easily be playing god. While there have been ways found, to help
women with certain problems by manupliating the DNA of an embryo, there is still a moral
dilemma. This is a major thing that humans should consider before they start messing with the
DNA of embryos and taking something into their hands that was never meant to be within human
hands. The benefits to genetic splicing maybe seem amazing, but factoring in moral and ethical
values, as well as how far humanity should go still needs to be taken into consideration.
There could be many benefits to editing a gene, from removing a genetic disease from
being passed on to future generations, to correcting possible physical defects. The process, called
mitochondrial replacement, is supposed to help women who suffer from mitochondrial disorders.
However, “The method is intended for a tiny fraction of women who have what's known as a
"mitochondrial disease," which increases the likelihood of bearing children with severe birth
defects.”[ CITATION Kha14 \l 1033 ]. These things could drastically alter generations, helping
them be saved from diseases that are dangerous or genetic. That does seem like an amazing feat,
taking a genetic trait and removing it for future generations. However, the question that will
always come into play, is how far should humanity go? The moral and ethical backgrounds of
editing human DNA need to be taken into consideration. There have been misconceptions about
DNA editing that have been falsely spread, such as it is working in lots of people or that there
was broad public support. The number of women who can use this technique to help them bear
children is small.[CITATION Jes17 \l 1033 ]. Many people do not know all the facts about
manipulating the genetics or DNA of embryos. What will the consequences be far down the road
that we cannot predict? Manipulating DNA is much harder than that, and something once done,
may be irreversible. The questions still stand, and hard as it might be to answer, is it right and
what will the consequences be down the road that we cannot predict?
With so many benefits and possibilities in gene editing, how far should it be allowed to
go? “Scientists used the technique to correct DNA errors present in the father’s
sperm.”[ CITATION Con17 \l 1033 ]. Most people would agree that if it is to be used to correct
faulty genetics and prevent them from being passed on to future generations, that it would be
acceptable to perform. A Pew Research survey found that 46 percent of adults approved of
genetic modification to reduce the risk of serious diseases but the same survey found that 83
percent said genetic modification to make a baby smarter would be too far.[ CITATION Reg \l
1033 ] But when the question arises to edit an embryo to have a specific eye color, or to be taller
the support for the procedure drops drastically. At this point humanity is simply playing god,
taking an embryo to change its features, just to make a better-looking person is wrong. Playing
god is a dangerous thing to do. Humanity is flawed, and full of sin, and discord. God is perfect,
and is His design, even if we can not see it. Humanity fell in the garden, resulting in a curse
being placed on this world, and that includes the wrongs that are in the human body. Something
that humanity always seem to do, is leap before they look. The plunge is taken, without stopping
to consider the effects of whatever is being done could cause.
Many times, it feels as though the question “can it be done?”, is asked long before
“should it be done?” Though there may be benefits to changing a gene, should manipulating the
most basic level of human beings be aloud? Messing with the DNA of an embryo is god like,
humanity is literally messing with the very foundation that creates human beings. “Many find the
mitochondrial procedure morally questionable because of how close it seems to be playing God,
or Nature, or Whoever you think is in charge of making kids.” [ CITATION Kha14 \l 1033 ]
What if humans mess up in their manipulation of DNA? One wrong move and in all reality,
humanity could make things worse instead of better. God has a perfect design for each human,
and because of the curse this includes flaws. There are dangers associated with gene splicing, and
even some scientists agree “I dug deeper into the reports and meetings, I found that there were
actually many warning signs along the way that were simply ignored. Scientists from around the
world who worked on similar techniques wrote to the HFEA on multiple occasions to explain
why they thought these methods were too dangerous to ever be ethical.”[ CITATION Jes17 \l
1033 ]. When even scientists are uncertain, that must bring to mind whether this is something
that ought to be done.
Do the possible benefits outweigh the moral and ethical grounds that must be taken? Just
because something may have an outcome that is beneficial, it does not make it right. When
considering doing something as major as altering the DNA of a living human being, the benefits
that come along with that, may not away the ethical reasons as to why this is not okay. If
humanity starts manipulating embryos, what is next? Eventually creating perfect little clones of
what the world thinks is the perfect child? Genes, eye color, hair color, perhaps even size, and
shape of the body. These are things that purpose they can figure out, resulting in too much
control over something that is supposed to be out of humanity’s control. Ultimately, the ability to
alternate human DNA, seems too unethical to become commonplace. Messing with human life is
a dangerous game to be playing, one humanity should not be partaking in.
References
Connor, S. (2017, July 26). First Human Embryos Edited in U.S. Retrieved from MIT
Technology Review: https://www.technologyreview.com/2017/07/26/68093/first-human-
embryos-edited-in-us/
Cussins, J. (2017, April 6). 3-Person IVF: Putting the First Legal Genetic Modification of
Babies in Context. Retrieved from Center for Genetics and Society:
https://www.geneticsandsociety.org/biopolitical-times/3-person-ivf-putting-first-legal-
genetic-modification-babies-context
Khazan, O. (2014, July 3). We're Already Designing Babies. Retrieved from The Atlantic:
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/were-already-designing-
babies/373896/
Regalado, A. (2015, March 5). Engineering the Perfect Baby. Retrieved from MIT Technology
Review: https://www.technologyreview.com/2015/03/05/249167/engineering-the-perfect-
baby/
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