I had the pleasure of attending this table talk about genetic engineering. Shiv led the discussion and I listened to the information and then the debate. Genetic engineering is the use of new science methods and technology to alter an organism’s genome. Genetic engineering has many applications such as agriculture (GMOs), vaccines, hormones, energy production, and even designer babies. With beneficial applications to debatable ones, genetic engineering is a hot topic.

The ethical problems associated with genetic engineering is that we take away nature’s power to create diversity and the different forms of beauty that we see around us. We don’t let biology decide what characteristics the child will have. Yes genetic engineering can prevent certain diseases and any life threatening issues. But genetic engineering can also end up being used for personal interests such as creating a child with a specific characteristics like designer babies. I personally think that before we make a decision about genetic engineering, we need to contextualize where and what we are using it for. This will help us make better and informed decisions about the ethics.