Genetic technologies have ushered in brave new world where mankind is finally in control of development and the creation of life. The application of genetic engineering is ubiquitous in today’s world. From plants being made more resistant and more nutritious to genetic screening of disease, the field has established itself as a significant shift in the human paradigm. Applying genetic technologies to fetuses and the unborn promises to bring us to an age where humanity has vanquished debilitating illness, and future generations would be free of afflictions that take a terrific toll. Indeed prominent ethicists have even argued that there exists a moral imperative to genetically screen the unborn for a variety of illnesses and to give women the choice to bear those children or not. Traits that are potentially screened for include depression, alcoholism, or psychopathy. The idea that we should genetically screen for mental disorder and offer the possibility of aborting babies as a result of proclivity towards an illness is anathema to humanity.
Beyond the simple conflation of genetic proclivity with actual pathology, there are various accepted manifestations of mental illness. Indeed, much of the artistic world is littered with the creativity that may come with certain mental states. Psychopathy may be a bad thing when taken to the utmost extreme. Indeed, a psychopath may be a danger to himself and to others. However, certain traits of psychopathy may lead to extremely successful individuals. The same cut throat attitude and ability to disassociate with past actions that a psychopathic murder may exhibit, is useful also in the corporate board room. Environmental influence can likely control most impulses towards the worst that the genes may offer.
A final point to note is that most of these afflictions are probably multi-factorial. The development of these mental disorders may very well still occur even after we remove what we believe are the genes involved in the process. In some cases other genes may prove to be culpable in the pathophysiology, in others the genes found might be just a part of a complement of genes that affect the same outcome. In sum, the idea that we should screen and select for genetically better babies is silly. It will accomplish nothing and likely make the world a worse place for the lack of genetic diversity.
Works Cited:
Alleyne, R. (2012, Aug 16). Genetically engineering 'ethical' babies is a moral
obligation,says Oxford professor. The Telegraph. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9480372/Genetically-engineering-ethical-babies-is-a-moral-obligation-says-Oxford-professor.html
Bloom, P. (2010, May 5). The Moral Life of Babies. The New York Times. Retrieved
