Of course, genetic engineering isn’t entirely positive.

There is an upside to the ability to genetically

alter humans and animals, but only in ideal situations.

Our world isn’t perfect, and scientists make mistakes all the time. We can’t assume that genetic engineering
will be available to the entirety of the human population, which is a flaw in itself.

The negatives of genetic engineering seem to outweigh the positives, especially since there is so much room
for error. We don’t know what we’re tampering with, which opens the door to a host of potential problems.

The Ethical Dilemma

There are a couple of ethical problems with genetic engineering that we need to consider as a society. Those
who subscribe to religion will see genetic engineering as blasphemy, for instance. We’d be “playing God,” in
a sense. Anyone who believes in creation will be expressly against genetic engineering – especially in human
children.

Those who are on the opposite side of the spectrum from religious people probably won’t love genetic
engineering either. Genetically engineered food might work, but changing the genes of people will add to
the overpopulation problem we’re currently experiencing.

Diseases are one of the most effective forms of population control. We don’t have the heart to eliminate
other humans in the name of population control, so disease does it for us. If we eliminate diseases, humans
will have virtually no threat left on this planet.

Living longer lives might be ideal, but it isn’t practical. If we extend the prime of our lives, we’re opening the
door to having more children. Since all children would be in perfect health, we’ll see a population increase
that could have devastating consequences.

Limiting Diversity

If genetic engineering becomes a reality, it will likely only be available to the richest members of society.
They’ll be able to extend their lives, limit diseases, and make sure their children are always healthy when
they’re born

When this happens, natural selection is completely obsolete. Instead, the wealthiest in society will thrive
while the poor will die-out. Eventually, genetic diversity will completely disappear as genetically engineered
children all express the most desirable characteristics

This problem also arises in nature if we decide to engineer plants and animals genetically. These organisms
might start as food, but could introduce themselves to the wild and take over. They’ll decimate natural
species, and eventually be the only thing left.

The Possibility of Mistakes

One of the biggest hurdles in genetic engineering is the possibility of errors or genetic defects, especially in
humans. Scientists have a general understanding of what creates a functioning human, but they don’t yet
have all the pieces to the puzzle.

When it comes down to changing humans at a cellular level, scientists don’t yet have the understanding of
how small changes can affect the development of a growing baby. Changing genes could result in more
damaging birth defects or even miscarriages.

Furthermore, tampering with diseases could end up creating a super-disease that is even harder to combat.
There are too many variables in the human body for genetic engineering to work to the fullest potential.
Even if it could, people will probably be too nervous to trust scientists tampering with the cells of their
future children.

The Logical Extreme

Science still isn’t at a point where they can alter the genes of humans to prevent all diseases in unborn
children, but it might be there soon. When that time comes, some might take genetic engineering to its
logical extreme.

Our priority will be to create healthy children. Once we perfect this process, though, where to, we go? The
next logical step is the ability to pick certain traits that our children will have. We might be able to select
whether we have a boy or girl. Then, we can decide what eye color and hair color they have.

Pretty soon, we’re selecting every trait that our child has before they leave the womb. Nature will be virtually
out of the question at this point, and people with enough money will design their babies from scratch.

Is Genetic Engineering Good or Bad?

Since the pros and cons of genetic engineering are compelling, it’s worth it to explore the possibility further.
We still haven’t reached a place where scientists fully understand the opportunities genetic engineering
presents, so they still have years of research on their hands.

In the end, though, no system of genetically altering humans, animals, or plants will be perfect. There is a
massive potential for errors, and we likely won’t have equal opportunities if and when scientists ever crack
the case.

Although the positives of genetic engineering are convincing, the negatives can be terrifying. If we ever get
to the point where we can genetically alter humans, we need to consider the moral, ethical, and practical
application of technology before going any further.
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Josy O’Donnel
Josy O’Donnel is the chief editor of Conservation Institute. While completing her bachelors degree, she developed an interest in the study of
Earth’s future and the conservation of Earth’s natural resources. Now she is sharing her passion with an online community of people who
are devoted spreading awareness and attention to the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.

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