Isssues

In his essay, “Playing God in the Garden,” Michael Pollan analyses the controversial issue of genetically modified foods, and alludes to a potato called the New Leaf Superior that produces its own insecticide. However, Gregory Stock discusses the also controversial issue of germinal choice technology (GCT) in his essay, “The Enhanced and the Unenhanced.” While Stocks essay points to the ways in which technology has helped humans in their development and also claims that the genetic choice technology in particular will be the great step for humanity; Pollan’s essay deals with the role of biotechnology to enhance agricultural products. Pollan discusses the unnaturalness of technology, as well as its effects on diversity and choice. Both Pollan and Stock essays bring about the ethical issues that genetic engineering has brought into society. Pollan agrees to the idea the subject of “Playing God” is the yearning for control to what is natural. However, Stock sees ethics as no problem but rather