Building Baby From The Genes Up By Ronald M Green Summary

Genetically Modified Humans, the New GMOs?

Given the opportunity, would you pick and choose the traits you would like in your baby? Well, according to Ronald M. Green’s article, “Building Baby from the Genes Up,” this type of genetic modification will be an inevitable norm in the near future. In his article, Green argues that by pinpointing and tweaking the genetic culprits in the human genome we could help prevent and possibly eliminate genetic disorders. Although he acknowledges that there are risks involved; Green does not suggest any limitations for such tinkering, he even goes so far as to mention the possibility of cosmetic enhancements. Two weeks after Green’s article was published, Richard Hayes countered it with, “Genetically Modified Humans? No Thanks.” In it, Hayes acknowledges and supports the possibility of preventing

Green seems to downplay this threat by saying that genetics could actually help reduce social gaps (497), but really offers no plausible solution as to how this can be achieved. He also makes reference to dyslexia and how eliminating it would “contribute to everyone’s social betterment” (497). Even if dyslexia were to be eliminated, there is no guarantee that everyone would get the needed modification. Also, all the additional modifications that the upper class would pay for would only expand the social gap between them and those who can’t afford it. In regards to the international communities, we live “in a world still barely able to contain the forces of nationalism, ethnocentrism, and militarism, the last thing we need to worry about is a high-tech eugenic arms race.” (Hayes 500). As humans we can look at our past and even present and realize that genetic modification would only amplify global tensions and disputes. It wouldn’t be long until a nation’s leader begins to strive for the next “Aryan”