Honey It's PERFECT! Perfectly Unethical...

The genetics and heredity revolution is progressing at a high rate and it's effectiveness and accuracy are immensely recognized by the public. It started with the newly discovered way to pre-determine your child's gender through genetic screening. It then escalated to methods of selecting sperm and egg cells to create a favoured embryo.














In View of Genetics/Scientific Advances


From a scientific perspective this controversy is a great step for geneticists and a valuable advancement for the study of heredity. In scientific defence, the motive for this research is to create favourable embryos that will not develop any hereditary disease that is in the lineage of the father and/or the mother.

In order to do this advanced reproductive techniques are used through InVitro Fertilization (IVF). This type of fertilisation allows geneticists and biologists to fertilise an egg with a sperm in a controlled environment outside of the mother's womb. It is currently only legal to do genetic screening to choose a sperm that will determine the child's sex and to find out weather the embryo will have some sort of genetic disorder. When the embryos are screened only those without genetic disorders are re implanted in the mother's womb. This process is called Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD).

The real advancement is called Germ Line Therapy. This allows scientists to work on embryos to replace faulty DNA with new DNA so that when the child is born it will be born without any genetic disorders. At the moment it is illegal to take out GLT on humans but it has been successfully implemented on animals so it shouldn't be too long before scientists begin to create DESIGNER BABIES.


From a Social and Ethical Perspective: The Public Opinion


The public seems to smile upon the idea of eliminating diseases in their children. Although it is an extremely expensive process it can save thousands in medical bills and agony of death and the pain that the child will have to face. I think that as long as anything is proven to work it will be accepted socially and by the majority of the public. By looking at online news comments The general public does not seem to think this is again ts common ethics. In my opinion this is morally wrong and goes against religious teachings and intervenes with God's plan for us, this brings me to my next view on Designer Babies.








God's Plan; The Religious view on natures mysterious ways



looking at religious teachings this can be looked at in many different lights. Many may not have anything against it and may use Biblical references to defend their stand point (that's the Protestants it's their specialty). And although it is wrong for us to judge without putting ourselves in the shoes of the mothers who suffer from having children with genetic disorders, it is still religiously wrong (at least from where i stand). Looking at a more Orthodox Christian perspective we can see that God's plan is the only plan, we should not be tinkering with the way nature is because as Christians we should believe that everything happens for a reason and that God has a plan.

Thanks for reading guys! please leave your comments and thought on this! i really want to know your religious view point and biological defence.





Sources:


What is a designer baby?


CTV News: Designer Babies!


Time Magazine: Designer Babies


Christian Today: Uk Christians Disappointed





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Humane Salvations: Species Translocation

Introduction:

It has been argued that humans are the most invasive species and we seem to leave our mark on nature almost everywhere. Through our ignorant acts we have made claims on nature that have caused many species of animals, birds, and fish to disappear completely. Human interaction with natural environment has resulted in many negative impacts on the Earth's natural eco-systems but some are doing their best to take care of the biodiversity of our beautiful ecosystems.

How we are preserving biodiversity:

Scientists and biologists have come up with many wonderful techniques to save species on the brink of extinction. One popular method is called Species Translocation. This method is used to save a population that is becoming endangered. Species translocation is used to improve the biodiversity of an ecosystem that will hopefully promote biodiversity in surrounding ecosystems over vast areas.

A delicate process; Translocation:

Species translocation is a process taken out by humans, not naturally occurring (with some exceptions) but rather it is an organized set of steps that will hopefully save an endangered species' population. What first happens in species translocation is a survey of the subject. The survey can consist of many criteria for the species such as survival methods, where they thrive, what they eat, are they heterotrophic or autotrophic, what is their life expectancy, what is their birth rate, etc. After this step has been completed and research has been done a sample is taken from their natural habitat where they are becoming extinct and are introduced to another ecosystem where scientists believe they will prosper.

Explained above is one of the three types of Species translocation known as Introduction. The other two types are Re-introduction and Re-stocking. In Re-introduction a certain species that was at one point indigenous to an area but is no longer is brought back into the ecosystem by accident or deliberately, through human intervention, to restore the ecosystem to its original state.

Lastly re-stocking is considered as a conservation strategy. When a species becomes endangered in a certain area the population is increased by introducing more of that species into the area so the population can begin to naturally rise.

Right or Wrong?
Many can argue that this is worse for the environment and that we need to step back and let nature do its thing when it comes to extinction of species and that we are throwing natural balances out of whack.

On the other hand many say if we don't do something now we won't have a chance to save these species later. And we are doing this professionally and it is being monitored so we know it is safe for the ecosystem so that other animals and plants will not be negatively affected.

land survey for plant translocation:

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B1cYfgSHs8 (mussel translocation)

Sources:

1. The Introduction Method
2. Types of Translocations
3. Re-introduction of Indian Rhinos
4. Plant translocation
5. Is translocation tinkering with evolution?

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