Genetic Engineering
Kate’s Dying and everybody knows it! You just love her so much that you don’t want to let her go!” This fact is the basis for why Anna is born and in turn, why their family has internal scars that cannot be removed. Genetic Engineering is not morally acceptable. It can cause many unfavorable things to happen, including starting new diseases. It is also not moral because many religions feel as though it is wrong to “Play God.” Others feel like getting rid of disease pays off in the end, even though we don’t know exactly what will happen. They are still undecided whether or not the ends justify the means.
For starters, Genetic Engineering may induce many new risky pathogens that may be disastrous. “Horizontal gene shift could give increase to other pathogens. While it increases the immunity against diseases, the resistant genes can be transmitted to harmful pathogens.” This quote shows that Genetic Engineering isn’t something to be taken lightly because of what may happen as a result. Pathogens and new diseases may be a problem in the future if we aren’t careful about editing genes in humans. “Gene therapy on humans can put an end to some side effects. While relieving one problem, the treatment may cause the onset of another issue.” This shows that solving one problem such as cancer that runs in a family, another issue or disease may pop up. This may be a disease we know about, or one that we don’t know if we can cure. “Anna, you know we never did any of these things to hurt you. It hurt all of us. If you got the bruises on the outside, then we got them on the inside” (Picoult, 296). All this is doing is creating more problems in the family. The Genetic Engineering on Anna makes her get pricked with needles and get bruises. This also leads to bruises inside the family, Sara says. There is no positive outcome of Anna being born through Genetic Engineering.
On the other hand, if Genetic engineering does work, we may be able to get rid of disease itself. “Some of the most deadly and difficult diseases in the world, that have so resisted destruction, could be wiped out by the use of Genetic Engineering.” However, a problem that may occur from this and getting rid of a horrible disease is potentially having a much worse and more dangerous one appearing. There is also the chance that a widespread epidemic may result. “Positive Genetic Engineering deals with enhancing the positive traits in an individual like increasing longevity or human capacity.” Ridding humanity of its flaws such as aging, lack of intelligence, undesirable traits, or even their character will lead to a lack of diversity in our species. Every species needs diversity in order to thrive. “For a long time, I was sick. The transplant nearly failed, and then, inexplicably, I begin the long steep climb upward. It has been eight years since my relapse” (Picoult, 422). Even though Anna ended up dying in the end, her being a perfect genetic match to Kate saved Kate’s life. Even though Genetic Testing allowed Kate to live, the effects on the family will last forever. If everyone started doing this then we would get rid of the Natural Law of Selection where only the strongest survive. If the weak reproduce, then we will have a new line of people to take care of. However, if only the strong survive, then we will be better suited for survival, future developments and less disease will be running wild.
Finally, Genetic Engineering isn’t moral because we shouldn’t control the outcome of a birth or humans genes. “What if we start demanding ‘designer babies’, children whose hair color, eye color, height and intelligence we ourselves dictate? What if we start engineering