Would you have a geneticaly modified child?

[Not a Cop]

A lot of time has passed, since the first ideas of eugenics appeared - segregation laws, from Nietzsche to Nazi programms, even in Sweden,country kmown as one of the most progressive society on our planet, sterelisation of people, who were consideres genetically-inferior, existed from 1935 to 1975.

Generation of our parents already faced such thing as prenatal sex determination and even determination of some diseases of fetus. This technologies had already changed our world.

But nowdays, since most people on this forum are in late teens or in early-mid twenties, the ability of having a programmed baby does'nt sound so science-fictional.

Such techonologies promise fantastical prospects - some say that world will become a place for healtly good loking people, diseses could be defeated, no more ugly people, current world records in sports can become a school standarts, and a lot more.

The classic of russian literature Chekhov once said "Everything should be perfect in a human - face and clothes and thoughts" so what do you think?

[Tropico]

I don't even trust GMO agriculture.

[Neanderthal]

Not right know. Science is not ready to make such step yet, that'd be irresponsible. We don't know how genes are connected with each other, and how do they exactly work. I recomend you all this documental:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gre98VKTX8

Epigenetics is a very insteresting field.

[Not a Cop]

Not right know. Science is not ready to make such step yet, that'd be irresponsible. We don't know how genes are connected with each other, and how do they exactly work. I recomend you all this documental:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gre98VKTX8

Epigenetics is a very insteresting field.

I agree with you, that we do'nt know much about genes yet, but what would happen in next 20 years? Having a first child in the age of forty in nothing surprising nowdays.

[Roy]

I am not into it.

[Not a Cop]

Vote please

[Prisoner Of Ice]

I won't vote because the problem is, if anyone starts to do it, everyone will have to do it to have children capable of competing.

But it turns out that genetic engineering can't do much to plug in and out pieces for say intelligence or health, you'd practically have to get a whole genome of someone with the qualities you want, and still won't get any guarantee. So you'd be raising someone else's kid basically. There's a little more hope for weeding out random minor bad mutations but it won't make much difference, and in the long run it will completely kill positive evolution.

So it's basically just not a good idea, and would mainly get used for stupid reasons like make children blonde and blue eyed.

[Neanderthal]

I won't vote because the problem is, if anyone starts to do it, everyone will have to do it to have children capable of competing.

But it turns out that genetic engineering can't do much to plug in and out pieces for say intelligence or health, you'd practically have to get a whole genome of someone with the qualities you want, and still won't get any guarantee. So you'd be raising someone else's kid basically. There's a little more hope for weeding out random minor bad mutations but it won't make much difference, and in the long run it will completely kill positive evolution.

So it's basically just not a good idea, and would mainly get used for stupid reasons like make children blonde and blue eyed.

Sadly this will be more likely the most common scenario; some weirdos wanting their kids to have vampire teeth, white eyes or purple hair also comes into mind.

[Not a Cop]

Sadly this will be more likely the most common scenario; some weirdos wanting their kids to have vampire teeth, white eyes or purple hair also comes into mind.

I think that this can be banned something like choose anything but in a homo sapiens range .If this technology would be available i do'nt think that you will be able to do such thing in under-the-table conditions, probably it will be goverment-controlled

[Prisoner Of Ice]

I at least hope there will be restrictions against purple hair and nonsense like that or I will be raging for my entire old age I guess.

I actually had extremely large natural eye teeth by birth but I got caps on them to reduce to normal proportions when I got some teeth knocked out in a mishap. Not thin like viper/vampire teeth but still very weird.

[Neanderthal]

I think that this can be banned something like choose anything but in a homo sapiens range .If this technology would be available i do'nt think that you will be able to do such thing in under-the-table conditions, probably it will be goverment-controlled

Indeed. That would be the ideal, however there's always ways around the law.

[larali]

no

[Not a Cop]

Indeed. That would be the ideal, however there's always ways around the law.

Yeah, but they are always more expensive, and gothic freaks are not known for having a lot of money:p

[Wolf]

Yes.

Is it immoral to prevent your child from genetic diseases if you have the capabilities to do so?

[Manifest Destiny]

I would be okay with it.

[Max Power]

I think it's a natural progression of prenatal care. I hope this technology progresses quickly though I'm sure the way Western culture is going with all it's PC taboos this may not happen.

You will definitely then begin to see a stark difference between the have and have nots. Currently it's generally obesity and other physical markers but there will definitely be a sharp dichotomy and I don't see an issue with that.

[mr. logan]

As arriving to that point in science is a milestone of the Whites, I consider GM as part of nature too. I would try it, but true mutation is through your own Will.

[Learning_Genetics]

No I would never choose this option. It is playing around with nature. Some might say that science or anything which deviates from the natural order like technology or medicine could be considered a deviation from nature. However to modify humans is something completely different because it is at the genetic level and not to do with the physical world around us. Having said this I do not support genetically modified animals or food either. It is common sense not to do this. The more technology merges with human the less human the person will be.

[Grace O'Malley]

I think it is a crazy idea. I like the randomness of how family members and children from the same couple can look. I think modifying children is a slippery slope and I hope that commonsense would prevail and if the technology becomes available it will be outlawed. Look what happens in Asian countries where they choose the sex of their child? Places like China are a sitting time bomb in the future as their population is skewed as regards the sexes. Leave these things to nature because people can't be trusted and more often than not cause more harm. Look how good we are at screwing up the planet as it is? Children are not fashion accessories they should be loved for who they are.

[Han Cholo]

I would to eliminate certain genetic diseases or predispositions. Not for some racially eugenic crap.

[Gaston]

With 23andme you can already look for desirable traits and check a potential partner's disease risks and the mutations he/she carries. The rest, "modification", is bullshit for now because environment and epigenics play a big role at the end of the day.

[Not a Cop]

No I would never choose this option. It is playing around with nature. Some might say that science or anything which deviates from the natural order like technology or medicine could be considered a deviation from nature. However to modify humans is something completely different because it is at the genetic level and not to do with the physical world around us. Having said this I do not support genetically modified animals or food either. It is common sense not to do this. The more technology merges with human the less human the person will be.

So you would'nt do it even if it will become widespreaded? I mean if your child would run 1.5 times slower than other kids he would become kinda amish

[Learning_Genetics]

So you would'nt do it even if it will become widespreaded? I mean if your child would run 1.5 times slower than other kids he would become kinda amish

No, never.

Just because others are doing it is no reason to embrace such developments. If we simply go with the flow then others will be influenced to do so as well and then the whole society will be finished. You can see such trends in the way people at first are reluctant to accept something, then gradually it becomes more accepted until the force and weight of social opinion pull everyone to accept it as a social orthodoxy.

[Manifest Destiny]

I think it's a natural progression of prenatal care. I hope this technology progresses quickly though I'm sure the way Western culture is going with all it's PC taboos this may not happen.

You will definitely then begin to see a stark difference between the have and have nots. Currently it's generally obesity and other physical markers but there will definitely be a sharp dichotomy and I don't see an issue with that.

Do you think that it would lead to a Gattaca-style caste system of sorts?

[Max Power]

Do you think that it would lead to a Gattaca-style caste system of sorts?

I see that as a distinct possibility. Much more so than a Brave New World ridiculously tiered caste system with classes for each rank in society and alphas and minuses of each class to further dissect.

That's if this ever takes off...

[Benacer]

What makes it my kid if his or her genome is artificial and not originated from me?

[Not a Cop]

What makes it my kid if his or her genome is artificial and not originated from me?

It can be originated from you, but you can choose, what you want, not a random mix of you and your partner

[Moonbird]

Yes, if my child otherwise would carry mutations that would cause a life threatening disease before old age.

[DataType]

Sadly this will be more likely the most common scenario; some weirdos wanting their kids to have vampire teeth, white eyes or purple hair also comes into mind.

This makes me curious.(if you don't mind me asking): If you were in a societal situation in which genetically engineering your kid(s) was possible, socially accepted, and common, what qualities do you think you be most focused on engineering into your kids?

I bet that a lot of people would probably respond with things like intelligence and athletic ability and social IQ and all that, but are there other more subtle qualities that you think might have made you and your family's lives better? Ambition and drive?

Lately I've been thinking about epigenetics and the little ways that I change my lifestyle to pass on to my kids a better set of genes to work with. It's as though everything I do is a means of programming myself, whether it's intentional or not.

[Mortimer]

if it became widespread i would erase diseases and increase IQ and fitness

[SkyBurn]

IVF is not "genetic modification". You just create a few different potentials from the eggs, and decide which one you wish to bring to term. The word "modification" implies a changed genetic code, whereas in reality, you can't make a child look like something that isn't already in the genes.

I am fully for using IVF for parents who wouldn't be able to naturally, and furthermore, am for IVF in cases of possible severe disease (Downs Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, etc).

[Neanderthal]

This makes me curious.(if you don't mind me asking): If you were in a societal situation in which genetically engineering your kid(s) was possible, socially accepted, and common, what qualities do you think you be most focused on engineering into your kids?

I bet that a lot of people would probably respond with things like intelligence and athletic ability and social IQ and all that, but are there other more subtle qualities that you think might have made you and your family's lives better? Ambition and drive?

Lately I've been thinking about epigenetics and the little ways that I change my lifestyle to pass on to my kids a better set of genes to work with. It's as though everything I do is a means of programming myself, whether it's intentional or not.

I would try to avoid unnatural procedures, but, if it was somehow mandatory I would probably modify traits that would help my kids be successful in today's society. Like intelligence, empathy, drive, etc.

Being Asperger myself, I know how hard it is not be fit to today's standards, also, all talent in the world is worthless if you can't exploit it. I wouldn't want to pass that down to my offspring.

[Linebacker]

I am a geneticall freak human by nature,so I will have no choice