GM crops definitely. Golden Rice for example, getting Vitamin A to people who desperately need it without the massive cost of nation wide supplement schemes.
We've been genetically modifying crops and animals for thousands upon thousands of years. AKA - Artificial Selection.
Artificial selection is the intentional reproduction of individuals in a population that have desirable traits. In organisms that reproduce sexually, two adults that possess a desired trait ? such as two parent plants that are tall ? are bred together.
How do you think we have domesticated animals and livestock such modern day pigs and cows?
I'd be for modifying children if it were removing potentially life threatening or quality of life lowering birth defects.
I'm 100% for it. Remove the at risk chromosome, improve their quality of life.
I've got a genetic condition my self, and while it's no means as life threatening or as sever as say downs syndrome, it's' something I plan to genetically remove so I can improve the quality of my kids life (When I eventually have one). Because, for me, it caused many issues.
life threatening birth defects, yes..
but as for the others, i dunno.. if it's not going to kill them, it's part of being human really..
our 2nd was born with a 1 in 10,000 defect.. was depressing at first, trying to think of ways it can be fixed, trying to work out what happened..
but, it doesn't look like it will affect her life, and now it's actually a cute little quirk that makes her unique..
well.. unique in every ten thousand people anyway...
I don't think we should input favoured genes (Ie. Designer babies), but I do believe we should remove at risk traits. Imagine being able to remove chromosomes that put people at risk of breast cancer, downs syndrome etc - all due to hereditary traits? You'd be able to give people to make one never have to suffer, never have to worry about such condition. It's a brave new world, one that we are still learning.
If I could go back 21 years and take this stupid defective chromosome away from me, I would. Because it's caused a multitude of issues, and will continue to affect my life.
Unique? More so a diminished quality of life I'd rather not have. Who cares about being "unique", "special" or "the way god made me", I want to be healthy and like the rest of people.
if you don't know what you're missing out on, are you missing out?
Better yet, I'd rather someone not be in such situation.
True enough, but all things being equal, wouldn't it be a better world if every child at least had the same opportunity to pursue basic things like getting married, having children, and working?
Obviously, it's a much bigger task to actually fix the world so everybody has an equal opportunity. Country of birth, religion, appearance, intelligence, upbringing etc are still going to be a factor - so why not at least eliminate the hindrance we can (potentially) control?
In an ideal world, we'd be able to remove the risk of severe mental or physical handicaps. Happy as people can be with them can be, I can't imagine a negative side to ensuring no children are born with a condition that may deprive them of a full life.
In today's world - it's becoming very possible. But where do we draw the line? People with money will eventually be able to get designer babies developed. Remove bad traits from the parents, put in optimum traits. It's literally making genetic super-soldiers.
Not World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnamese War, or any of the recent wars in the Middle East, that's for sure.
Middle East is partly to religion, depends which war you look at. As of now, the place is just a dump and in poor conditions.
I'm of the opinion that anyone who is against genetically modified crops is ultimately pro people starving.
:crazy:
