The Human Genome Project

If you had the choice, would you choose the physical appearance of your unborn child?

Total Votes:

[ 0 ]

This poll closed on December 20, 2004.
No longer accepting new votes.

[Deathbride]

It is not that easy to modify all genes to your likes even if you get to know where is each gene. Anyways i don't think people would loose time doing such a stupid thing as that. And for the parents, i don't believe them to be brave enough to let the hole identity of their child in the hands of a scientist.

[TPauSilver]

DrasBrisingr

TPauSilver

stop bloody posting, me move SLOWLY. Post and come back in a few hours and yuo may have an answer.

The human genome project is not likely to lead to designer babies. Many people feel that designing babies is unethical and as such it would likely not come into widespread usage. Even if we did know what every single gene does, and we only know about 60% of the e-coli genome where we've knowned uot every gene and it's the most studied organism, the technology isn't there for any kind of paractical aplication.

Yeah, so what, I'm a bit impatient.
I understand what you're saying. But at the rate technology is moving now, it's hard to predict what could happen in the next 20 years.
It's also highly unlikely that the genomes for traits will be patented, but if it was, it could change society greatly. Many also find loopholes. Celebrities and politicians can get into just about anything these days.
It's just hard to say.
But the Human Genome project isn't all of it. There's much more to it.

In all the yers we've been working with genetics, we've not come very far expect in the fact we use computers now, we've sped it up for then enhanced it.
Oh, and yes, you can patent a gene. In Europe you have to develop a technology with the gene and thus have an invention, in the US you just have to sequence the gene and you an patent it. It's higly likely that a good percentage of your genome is owned by someone else.

I don't get the point of any of the rest of what you said.

[Aapie]

I would not choose for it, becuz' every being is unique. If there's a possibility OK, I WOULD change it if it had the Syndrom of Down or any other mental disorder which requires him to have extra help (I think I'll give him / her a better life without that).

Anyway, talking about genes modification, if you're interested research in nanotechnology (www.foresight.org) is a very good site for that. The possibilities of that are enormous, almost unlimited.

[Samsara]

Even though all of the human genomes have been sequenced, we are still years away from gentically engineering humans. Just because we have identified all of the genes does not mean that we have identified what they do, that is estimated to take another decade to complete.

[A Lost Iguana]

It's much play on scaremongering and slippery slope arguments, no?

You could ask the question in the Chatterbox, but I advise you to just be patient. This place does move slowly.

Oh, I do question the age old "blonde hair/blue eyes" stereotype as the most attractive. Furthermore, true beauty does not exist.

[Basch_TheSage]

Needless to say, perhaps celeberties and high level politicians might try and get into the whole genome business to get the pretties babies they can get (or freak babies depending on the people we're talking about....) anyways you have to consider that, despite the way things seem, I doubt those people working on it will readily turn over years and years of research into the hands of docter who'll do up your genes and get you the babies of your dreams, and also it'll be quite a while before the black market is populated by biologist and people especially classed in the medical feild (though it probably will happen one day)

[DrasBrisingr]

TPauSilver

stop bloody posting, me move SLOWLY. Post and come back in a few hours and yuo may have an answer.

The human genome project is not likely to lead to designer babies. Many people feel that designing babies is unethical and as such it would likely not come into widespread usage. Even if we did know what every single gene does, and we only know about 60% of the e-coli genome where we've knowned uot every gene and it's the most studied organism, the technology isn't there for any kind of paractical aplication.

Yeah, so what, I'm a bit impatient.
I understand what you're saying. But at the rate technology is moving now, it's hard to predict what could happen in the next 20 years.
It's also highly unlikely that the genomes for traits will be patented, but if it was, it could change society greatly. Many also find loopholes. Celebrities and politicians can get into just about anything these days.
It's just hard to say.
But the Human Genome project isn't all of it. There's much more to it.

[TPauSilver]

stop bloody posting, me move SLOWLY. Post and come back in a few hours and yuo may have an answer.

The human genome project is not likely to lead to designer babies. Many people feel that designing babies is unethical and as such it would likely not come into widespread usage. Even if we did know what every single gene does, and we only know about 60% of the e-coli genome where we've knowned uot every gene and it's the most studied organism, the technology isn't there for any kind of paractical aplication.

[DrasBrisingr]

...Maybe I should move this to the Chatterbox, there's sure to be more people in there than in the "Science and Technology" part of extended discussion.

[DrasBrisingr]

...Maybe I should move this to the Chatterbox, there's sure to be more people in there than in the "Science and Technology" part of extended discussion.

[DrasBrisingr]

Alright, now who voted and didn't comment. I want comments, not just votes. You can yell, scream, have a fit, throw a party, I don't care, I just want your thoughts.

[DrasBrisingr]

I just wanted to know you guy's thoughts on all this to kind of get a general opinion of the young public. Let me know if I'm way out of line.

[DrasBrisingr]

For those who don't know, the Human Genome project is a genetic experiment that was originally developed to find treatements for genetic dieases such as cystic fibrosis. But when they opened the door to the genes that cause those diseases, they also found that they could alter other aspects of a human( ie: hair color, eye color, longevity, intelligence, height). While there is not a patent for permenant use of these discoveries, at the rate we're going now, it could happen sooner than we could even imagine.

[DrasBrisingr]

Being a teenager myself, I hear all the talk about "Oh, look at his eyes, blue eyes are so hott in a guy" and all of those comments. It could lead to the oppresssion of people, not just genderally (that's not a word...) but also socially.
The Chinese used footbinding because the men thought it was beautiful. A woman who had not binded her feet while she was young had a lot less of a chance of getting married. And it all started because an emperor's wife had very small feet naturally, and the population thought it was beautiful.

[DrasBrisingr]

I'm working on a paper (not for school or public or anything, just for my personal interest) on society. A big part of this is the Human Genome project. The point I'm trying to make is the fact that in 20 years, it is possible that Hitler's dream may come true: "The Perfect Race." A race of blonde-haired, blue-eyed children, and all because they're "beautiful". The long term result of this could be higher standards for beauty, which could result in possibly wars, or a lot of conflict in the government. I know this is all kind of far-fetched, but if you think about it, it is a real possibility.