Designer Baby

We are now closer than ever to being able to select genes and give them to people, i just wondered what people thought about the designer baby situation; the ability to go to a "shop" and say i would like a girl, blue eyes, blond hair, the ability to be a top runner.

I think that this would lead to chaos, different countires would breed a super race that has better edurance, better strength that would be to some people "perfect" just wonderd what you people thought about this

[Edited on 22-4-2004 by John bull 1]

I'd probably have some fun with it

Originally posted by Pisky
I'd probably have some fun with it

Would you really do that to a kid. Name him sue also?
LMAO

If you did that, it wouldn't technically "be" your child since it didn't consist of your genes. I guess you would actually have to adopt your child.

lmao pisky.
What a cute little thing!

You are not so far from the truth, the super being will be design on another country first due to the narrow minded groups that plague US. but it will happend faster than anybody will even dream. As a matter of fact they are working very hard on the first human cloning.

I actually emailed a genetic scientist recently and she was VERY reluctant to even consider MY idea. I asked if choosing genetic traits could be used to BLUR THE LINES BETWEEN THE RACES, thereby practically eliminating racial prejudice!
JUST THINK!! If people couldn't tell "who" was "what" they couldn't be prejudiced, could they?
GOVERNMENTS COULD NOT MAKE $$$$ FROM WARS. Look at all the hatred that is going on now!
I didn't have the heart to tell her that race-changing has already been done....to ME!!
The lady seemed so upset.
One cannot close the barn door after the horse has escaped!

Imagine if a world terrorist cloned himself many many times. So when they finally thought they caught him and dna tested him they would think they have him, but they don't!!

Its easy enough to make them age quicker, theres a genetic disease out there that can do that. We would have to fnd another way to determine peoples uniquness now!! Does anyone know if the eye thingy pattern develps a unique pattern non dependant on dna? Or maybe we all have a unique odor??

Originally posted by MrJingles
If you did that, it wouldn't technically "be" your child since it didn't consist of your genes. I guess you would actually have to adopt your child.

actually, yea it would cuz ur only changing a section of it's DNA. therefore, the rest is still there and no, this stuff won't lead to chaos. it'll lead to a stronger, healthier, better human race where there will be no more hereditary diseases so therefore, no more burdensome down syndrome bast*rds. more competition will encourage humans to work harder to even further better themselves.

Originally posted by Imzadi

I actually emailed a genetic scientist recently and she was VERY reluctant to even consider MY idea. I asked if choosing genetic traits could be used to BLUR THE LINES BETWEEN THE RACES, thereby practically eliminating racial prejudice!
JUST THINK!! If people couldn't tell "who" was "what" they couldn't be prejudiced, could they?
GOVERNMENTS COULD NOT MAKE $$$$ FROM WARS. Look at all the hatred that is going on now!
I didn't have the heart to tell her that race-changing has already been done....to ME!!
The lady seemed so upset.
One cannot close the barn door after the horse has escaped!

it's called plastic surgery.....look at michael jackson. at first, i thought that he was white but then, i found out that he was black. pretty scary.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DESIGNER BABIES! NOT CLONING! THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!

Originally posted by SpittinCobra

Would you really do that to a kid. Name him sue also?
LMAO

"If I ever have a kid, I'ma name him.....George or Bob, any damn thing but SUE!"

IMO, genetic manipulation should only be to fix genetic disorders. Lets say that your family has a history of having a risk that your children are born with some genetic defect, then I think it would be aceptable to make sure the affected genes are good ones for the sake of the child's health. On the other hand, frivolous use should not be alowed. If it aint broke, don't fix it

The problem is that there are 2 sides to the problem.

On the one hand, you are making stronger, faster, smarter, people. Basically what you consider a perfect child. This has good points like no genetic disorders, stronger hearts, lower risk of cancer, alcoholism, ect.

On the flip side, say we breed out all of these "probleems." Believe it or not, many of these genetic "problems" actually play a role in the imune system. There are genetic traits that may not overall be considered good, but could help humans resist certain viruses and such. I think it is dangerous when you start limiting the genetic pool for future humanity. One compromise might be to put a limit on how much you can change your child - like you can pick 5 or 10 traits, but other then that it is up to chance. This might insure a stronger, smarter race without doing away with certain genes in our gene pool.

Over all though - I believe that this research is VERY important. We must have the ability to adapt as a race, quickly, to future situations. Imagine the unimaginable - like a super virus wiping out every human on the planet. This technology might have a cure hidden in it. It should just be used with the utmost caution.

Ranger - you are quite right - if it aint broke, don't fix it

Gosh, seems like only yesterday we are discussing it and here today it is.

www.redorbit.com...

Designer Babies With 2 Mothers, 1 Father
Thursday, 15 April 2010,
Embryos containing genetic material from a man and two women have been produced in a project that researchers are hailing as a “ray of hope” for thousands of families troubled by rare genetic diseases that can lead to heart failure, blindness, diabetes and even infant mortality. The technique used has researchers hopeful that it could be offered to women within three years. But the study is likely to re-spark the debate over the ethics of embryo research and "designer babies."