Pulitzer
prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts; in this essay “A Risk-Free Life,”
discuss how far people, will go and take control of nature and of chance. Pitts
asks the question if parents could “tinker” with the genes of their unborn
children to protect them from a disease, select their gender, and even physical
traits would you do it. Pitts mentions a
woman (her name was not released) who went to a geneticist to have her eggs
screened for the gene that causes Alzheimer’s.
The developing of Alzheimer’s disease in this women’s family (one of
about a dozen in the world carrying a genetic flaw) starts tragically at a
young age. Her sister showed symptoms at the age of 38, and her brother at the
age of 35. Experts say this woman who is 30 years old and could develop this
“mind-destroying affliction” by the age of 40. She desperately wanted a child,
The Journal of the American Medical
Association, reported that she and her husband have one, and another one is
on the way. By the time this woman’s daughter turns 10 her mother will not
recognize her. But due to her eggs which were screened her daughter has a 50-50
chance of suffering a similar fate.
Pitts says,” I can’t tell you that I wouldn’t have done the same thing
the women did,” “At the same time, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being
troubled by some of the moral and ethical doors that are swinging open here.”
Being
a parent, I agree with Pitts that, I would have my child screened for a disease
and the opportunity to “tinker” with my child’s life (to protect them from
disease) would be something I would consider doing. Some people will disagree
based mostly on their religion that is against Gods belief to tamper with a
person’s life. But even with religion it’s in are human nature when are child
is in danger we as humans look for away to help protect them, by any means
necessary.
With
the route of technology in today’s world it’s tough to determine what we as a
human race is capable of discover or making. This topic to “tinker” change a
child’s genes is also similar to the idea of cloning. Cloning began in 1958
when F.C. Steward cloned carrot plants from mature single cells placed in a
nutrient culture containing hormones. Not cloning physically but the idea has been around for
years. Just like the ability to change the genes of your unborn child, some
people will disagree based mostly on their religion that is against Gods belief
to tamper with a person’s life.
In
conclusions this day of age, the human race is always thinking, and developing
new ways to help prolong are life, from creams to look younger and pills to
help us feel younger. We as humans are not like the so called “Vampires” that
have the ability to live forever without fear of death from diseases. We as humans
are not meant to live forever!
Here
are some websites which further discuss and talk about Genetics Research and
Cloning. http://www.newsmedical.net/health/Genetics-Research-and-Technology.aspx
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