Summary Of Debora L. Spar's Designing Babies

To have the option of creating a baby that has all of the characteristics and traits that a parent desires with the use of genetic technology appears to be great idea, if it can be accomplished responsibly. What must be looked at is not only how the use of genetic technology can be used, but also how it may be controlled. In this paper I will examine the use of genetic technology in humans, and why it cannot be conducted responsibly by referring to the views of
Tenzin Gyatso the author of “Ethics and the New Genetics” who believes that genetic technology must involve ethics, moral compass and compassion, and also Debora L. Spar the author of “Designing Babies” who believes that in order for genetic technology to be done responsibly rules and

People will start to misuse the technology, by creating babies for different use. The author Debora L. Spar states “Perhaps even more troubling, genetic screening raises the possibility of parents literally designing their children according to personal preference” (212). For example, creating a child through the use of genetic technology to potentially save another child’s life. If everyone decided to do this society can possibly become out of control because babies would be created for the wrong reasons, and that can possibly be for the use of body parts or organs, which is unethical. Tenzin Gyatso states, in “Ethics and the New Genetics”, “The higher the knowledge and power, the greater our sense of moral responsibility” (76). When trying to regulate the use of genetic technology in shaping humans, it will become impossible. This is because people will find ways around being able to still misuse the technology. For example, going to other countries that may not have the same laws, so that they can produce a baby through genetic technology. This can possibly effect the ethics and moral compass that comes along with developing and using genetic technology responsibly. If this happens then the society would then become separated between those who are produced through genetic technology and those who are

With the use of genetic technology when it comes to shaping humans may cause a division among society. For example, those who are a product of the genetic technology may possibly have the upper hand on things. This is because creating a human to be more superb than the others, may cause those who were produced naturally to be discriminated against. They may not have the same privileges as those who are of the genetic technology. The author Tenzin Gyatso states, “But now, or at any rate very soon, genetics can tell individuals and families that they have genes which may kill or maim them in childhood, youth, or middle aged” (78). Once a child is born, and test suggest that the child may have some kind of defect, which may cause them not to live a long healthy life. The parents and society may treat that child differently. This can possibly prevent this child from having an equal opportunity at life. The author Debroa L. Spars suggests, “Like many aspects of the baby trade, genetic selection forces a collision between the public and private spheres of life, between the most intimate decisions that people face and distant view of how races n societies evolve” (238). Genetic technology may cause the majority of society to skip out on the intimacy that comes with creating a child. Society may possibly become more prone to being able to produce the