Genetic Engineering - Good or Bad?

[Azred]

Genetic engineering of plants to increase nutrition and/or crop yield is a really good thing. How could having more food be bad? Even if the content or yield is not changed, how about the hardiness of a plant? If a soy or wheat strain can grow in almost any terrain or climate then more land can become "farmland", effectively increasing yield. Also, don't forget about other manipulations such as the microbes used now to "eat" oil spills.
Genetically engineered animals could also benefit humanity by producing more milk and meat that is more nutritious.
I know it sounds like I am a cheerleader for genetic engineering, but I'm not. I simply think that when used safely and sanely, in moderation, that engineering can improve the health of humanity.

Genetic engineering for/on humans is good, if limited. Some diseases are now treated with gene therapy, which helps the body to create what it needs. How can that be bad? Stem cell research opens the door for organ transplants with organs either created from scratch or from the donee's own body. Again, how could this be wrong?

I think many people who think "all genetic engineering is bad" might be confusing genetic engineering with eugenics. GE is not going to create tall, athletic, and highly intelligent humans with a particular hair or eye color--that is a bad sci-fi plot, not reality. If a group of doctors say "we can give your child green eyes" then where is the surprise?
Another factor spoiling the idea are the people like the millionaire who donated lots of money to Texas A&M so they could clone his dog. [img]graemlins/erm.gif[/img] A clone of your dog is not your dog, at least not the dog you loved,because the clone will most likely have a different personality. Besides, the psychological damage you do to yourself in not letting go will cause more harm than your ephemeral happiness at seeing "your dog" alive again will lift your spirits--the clone, too, will eventually die.

Ethically, genetic engineering is no different than any other human activity. Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should do it.

Religion actually has nothing to do with genetic engineering. As a human, are you nothing more than a sequence of nucleic acids? Cats have a genetic sequence, but humans have a soul, that [i]je ne sais quoi[/b], that indefinable quality that sets us apart from the other animals. Well, at the very least, I am more than just a sequence of nucleic acid. [img]graemlins/laugh3.gif[/img]

[img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img] I would apologize for rambling on, but why? [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img]

[K T Ong]

To Silver Cheetah: Thanks for the compliments. [img]smile.gif[/img]

To Azred: I would agree that genetic engineering can be a great boon when used safely and sanely. Question is: can we prevent it from being used in harmful ways? For how long?

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

I for one would rather die, then have the organ of a pig inside me. I *wont* be party to ANYONE who wants to corrupt the human race, and make mutants out of us. well thats just MY view.

[Sir Kenyth]

Originally posted by Leonis: quote: Originally posted by Sir Kenyth: ... How do you think we get such high yields, large fruits, and ranges of growing climates?...

How do you think we get such low flavour, so little taste and plant foods that all taste blandly the same?[/QUOTE]The only things that will taste bland are fruits with short shelf lives when plant ripened. i/e: Ripe tomatoes and strawberries are impossible to harvest and transport when vine ripened. They are simply too fragile. Therefore, they have to be harvested green, shipped, and artificially ripened with gases. The reason store tomatoes are bland is because you are actually eating a green tomato! Buy fragile produce from farm stands or grow your own! Although I must admit, indoor hydroponically grown tomatoes are far superior to their predecessors! They are still relatively fragile and expensive though.

[Neb]

To Azred: How can having more food be bad, you ask? It means that we'll be able to support more humans on the Earth, which means that we'll continue to expand our numbers for even longer. There are already enough of us around to ruin our homeworld. We should definitely see about limiting our population rather than letting it grow unchecked. Making it easier for our population to grow is a big no-no in my book, too.

The microbes used to eat oil spills is one thing that I consider a GOOD use for genetic engineering. Perhaps we could create a special plant that released lots of energy when burnt and very little pollutants, that would produce some environmentally friendly fuel. Might sound a bit too sci-fi, though [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Originally posted by johnny: It's a good thing, us humans have to explore the unknown. It might cure horrible disseases in the future, or even prevent some. On the other hand, i'm sure people in the militairy will try to make use of it for their own purposes.

In most cases the Military doesn't develop it's own weapons, it is defense contractors that do this. In either case it is up to the government (in the case of the USA) to decide such things.

Originally posted by Neb: To Azred: How can having more food be bad, you ask? It means that we'll be able to support more humans on the Earth, which means that we'll continue to expand our numbers for even longer. There are already enough of us around to ruin our homeworld. We should definitely see about limiting our population rather than letting it grow unchecked. Making it easier for our population to grow is a big no-no in my book, too.

Why not worry about that once we make sure that EVERYONE that already exisits is fed. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Of course if you look at it, it isn't the well fed west that is overpopulating the land masses, but the starving countries of India, Pakistan, China and other places wehre people are starving that seem to be over reproducing. Population growth in the west is nearly stagnant.

[Neb]

Originally posted by MagiK: Why not worry about that once we make sure that EVERYONE that already exisits is fed. [img]smile.gif[/img] Of course if you look at it, it isn't the well fed west that is overpopulating the land masses, but the starving countries of India, Pakistan, China and other places wehre people are starving that seem to be over reproducing. Population growth in the west is nearly stagnant.

Perhaps that explains why they're starving there, then [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Sir Kenyth]

Originally posted by MagiK: quote: Originally posted by Neb: To Azred: How can having more food be bad, you ask? It means that we'll be able to support more humans on the Earth, which means that we'll continue to expand our numbers for even longer. There are already enough of us around to ruin our homeworld. We should definitely see about limiting our population rather than letting it grow unchecked. Making it easier for our population to grow is a big no-no in my book, too.

Why not worry about that once we make sure that EVERYONE that already exisits is fed. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Of course if you look at it, it isn't the well fed west that is overpopulating the land masses, but the starving countries of India, Pakistan, China and other places wehre people are starving that seem to be over reproducing. Population growth in the west is nearly stagnant.[/QUOTE]Good point Magik! I was about to say the same thing. The free civilized world has no population problem. In third world countries, you're lucky if birth control is even known and available. Large families are also the only way you can get ahead in those societies. There is no other way to make sure you are taken care of in your old age! There is only hard physical labor with low wages available, and the elderly are generally unable to compete. How to fix this? Who knows? How do you force a country to catch up from over a century of stagnant intellectual and economic growth? Especially when a large majority of the government, where it exists, is unconcerned? Not to mention, the population is unwilling to change? We're having a hard enough time stopping barbaric traditions and attitudes in these places!

[Neb]

Sir K, I know that this might sound like a harsh solution, but how about we just let them stay as they are? At some point they're BOUND to notice that other countries who DO care about these things are richer and generally doing better.