Its finally happend.. CRISPR gene editing in humans.

[Dell]

This researcher sparked alarm by saying he made gene-edited twins

It was inevitable and bound to happen. One has to wonder how far now will it go? And what happens when persons are found with defective DNA, will they be forced to not reproduce?

 

[Sunstone]

Humans sooner or later tend to use whatever technologies are available to them. Wisdom is not our strength as a species.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I can see it now, manufacturing the super race of the perfect human being.

 

[Sunstone]

I can see it now, manufacturing the super race of the perfect human being.

I see it as almost inevitable that some nation will attempt to create the perfect warrior -- which, if successful, will put pressure on other nations to follow suit. Of course, it might be cheaper and more feasible to go with advanced AI and robots. We'll see. I'm pretty sure we'll see.

 

[Brickjectivity]

This researcher sparked alarm by saying he made gene-edited twins

It was inevitable and bound to happen. One has to wonder how far now will it go? And what happens when persons are found with defective DNA, will they be forced to not reproduce?

Its easy to imagine the worst. Envision the best case and then we will be able to move towards it. Imagine that people with defective DNA can reproduce. How do we make that likely? Crispr isn't the only way to edit DNA, and there are gene therapies which edit DNA in living persons in a targeted way. There are currently some cancer treatments which take advantage of this. Maybe there are more treatments available in future.

 

[Earthling]

This researcher sparked alarm by saying he made gene-edited twins

It was inevitable and bound to happen. One has to wonder how far now will it go?

You mean now that they had feathers and sounded like chicken? The question is will all those indoctrinable children still have such a fascination for science

 

[Augustus]

We are much better at identifying a technology's potential uses than potential harms. Of course we never really learn this fact though and assume we are right this time.

Worth a read on our limited understanding of the science and technology involved :

Potential DNA damage from CRISPR has been ‘seriously underestimated,’ study finds

Potential CRISPR damage has been 'seriously underestimated,' study finds

 

[Jumi]

Yeah it's not a mature technology. This guy didn't care for any potential harm, he wanted his name in history books as a fool.

 

[exchemist]

This researcher sparked alarm by saying he made gene-edited twins

It was inevitable and bound to happen. One has to wonder how far now will it go? And what happens when persons are found with defective DNA, will they be forced to not reproduce?

Nah. Pound to a penny the guy is a charlatan, hasn't done what he says at all and just wants his name in the papers for five minutes. I read that the organisations he cites are backing away from him with some haste.

Let's allow the dust to settle for a while, before we start the next moral panic.

 

[Terese]

Genetic engineering is the future, for better or for worse. I see it as more of a boon since it will make us healthier, stronger and potentially more intelligent. Designer babies will most likely become the norm if they have the money for it. But like all things, there are drawbacks, moral and ethical ones just like previous revolutions.

I see it as almost inevitable that some nation will attempt to create the perfect warrior -- which, if successful, will put pressure on other nations to follow suit. Of course, it might be cheaper and more feasible to go with advanced AI and robots. We'll see. I'm pretty sure we'll see.

I don't doubt the wish to create a perfect soldier, just hope they have normal-esque lives like elite soldiers. Cloning is a bigger moral issue to me.

Likely much cheaper. But feeding soldiers is already cheap, if i am not mistaken.

 

[Rival]

I see it as almost inevitable that some nation will attempt to create the perfect warrior -- which, if successful, will put pressure on other nations to follow suit. Of course, it might be cheaper and more feasible to go with advanced AI and robots. We'll see. I'm pretty sure we'll see.

The line between human and robot will become blurred. Cybernetics already makes this possible.

 

[Terese]

The line between human and robot will become blurred. Cybernetics already makes this possible.

Cybernetics will be developed yes, but we don't actually know how consciousness works. It's a lot harder than we think, though it will be fascinating to see the future studies and advances on it.

 

[Rival]

Cybernetics will be developed yes, but we don't actually know how consciousness works. It's a lot harder than we think, though it will be fascinating to see the future studies and advances on it.

I hear you. I was more talking about the 'What makes a human/person/thing-alive?' debate.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

This researcher sparked alarm by saying he made gene-edited twins

It was inevitable and bound to happen. One has to wonder how far now will it go? And what happens when persons are found with defective DNA, will they be forced to not reproduce?

I blame Millennials

 

[Valjean]

When I first read Huxley's Brave New World I found it deeply disturbing; a carefully managed society of genetically modified humans; a hierarchy of intelligence based castes, given useful work, indoctrinated into enjoy their place in society, and given pleasures to ensure happiness and contentment. It seemed dystopian.

Now, I'm not so sure. Are humans really capable of managing their own affairs without killing both themselves and the planet? Would our affairs be better managed by a highly intelligent caste of rulers/managers? Would the masses not be more happy if content and secure with their place in a society of engineered alphas, betas, gammas, deltas and Epsilons?

Could our technology lead to a Borg-like hive mind, with everyone interlinked through the internet?
The Borg seemed happy enough -- till someone disconnected them, anyway.

 

[Sanzbir]

And what happens when persons are found with defective DNA, will they be forced to not reproduce?

Ummmm, why would they??

Doesn't gene editing solve the problem of passing on "defective" genes?? Just replace 'em with some normal ones and there ya go.

 

[Revoltingest]

This researcher sparked alarm by saying he made gene-edited twins

It was inevitable and bound to happen. One has to wonder how far now will it go? And what happens when persons are found with defective DNA, will they be forced to not reproduce?

Gene editing could turn out to be a boon to would-be parents with genetic defects.

Aw, dang....I just saw Sanzbir's post.

 

[Shad]

This researcher sparked alarm by saying he made gene-edited twins

It was inevitable and bound to happen. One has to wonder how far now will it go?

Special to order children. Gattaca

And what happens when persons are found with defective DNA, will they be forced to not reproduce?

I assume the same we do now. Some parents will have the child while others will assign value then abort when said value is not high enough, in their subjective opinion of course. See Iceland and Downs Syndrome

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I think it's great if it can "cure" embryos with genetic defects.

 

[syo]

I can see it now, manufacturing the super race of the perfect human being.

nah, the ''super race'' probably will get cancer.