CADIENTE, Elijah Marie P.

Z54

Ethics: Ensuring Progress Then, Ensuring Progress Now

Through the years, humans have gone from discovering the use of fire to developing various
advancements that increased one’s standard of living. The continuously evolving technological
breakthroughs in different fields have led humans to achieve the highly innovative lifestyle they are
currently enjoying. These changes in a wide range of areas reflect progress. For Callahan (2020), many
view progress in various circumstances, but is now often related to the context of scientific and cultural
development.

While many individuals can have non identical views of progress, it is generally viewed as a
process of gradually improving or moving forward towards a certain goal (“Progress Definition and
Meaning | Collins English Dictionary,” 2023). However, in achieving progress, one must take into
account, not only what it takes to get there, but even the ethical matters that need to be considered. Ethics
is a system of principles that can define and constitute what is good and evil (Sternberg, 2017). In the
field of research, a study is not rendered a failure if it yields to a non significant result, rather, it is
unsuccessful when researchers fail to practice ethical behaviors. For Sternberg (2017), many well-known
CEOs, such that of Kenneth Lay and Bernard Ebber, met their downfall, not because of failing to manage
their businesses but because of failing to be ethical. Thus, it is essential for every individual to consider
ethical principles in decision-making to ensure the success of each endeavor. Furthermore, it also
promotes other moral and social values that enable respect for other individuals. After all, is it still
progress if it fails to consider the welfare of other people? Achieving progress is good, but it should never
come at the expense of other people.

Currently, humans are benefiting from many technological advancements, including that of
genetic engineering. Genetic engineering or genetic modification is a process that utilizes
laboratory-based technologies to alter the DNA composition of an organism (Genetic Engineering, 2023).
This has mostly been used in cancer therapies, brewing yeasts, genetically modified plants and livestocks,
as well as in research and other industries. With all of these in place, I believe that researchers and
scientists will continue to make substantial discoveries in the area of genetic modification. For instance, if
progress like this continues, it will be possible to create a cure for cancer and other current incurable
diseases. Furthermore, I also expect that genetic engineering will pave the way for new scientific
innovations. My expectations are quite unlike what mainstream media depicts about the possible future,
where these discoveries will eventually cause mass destruction and the extinction of the human race.
While I do not believe that it will happen anytime soon because of Bioethics, I also do not dismiss the
notion of this happening.

Bioethics is the study of ethical, social, and legal issues that emerge in biomedicine and
biomedical research (Resnik, 2021). As early as the 1960s, the aim of bioethicists was to protect patients
and research subjects from the stigma that ‘doctors know best’ (Simmons, 2008). Bioethics play an
essential role in science and technology, for it not only protects the welfare of each one, it also ensures
that progress is still for the people. Furthermore, it also guarantees that each discovery within the field of
science and technology will not be used for the wrong reasons, which in turn can eventually hinder
progress and limit its contribution to society.

In conclusion, progress is good, but in the wrong hands can lead to detrimental consequences.
Thus, the presence of ethical considerations, such that of Bioethics, is essential in making sure that future
discoveries will indeed help humans advance. Every advancement and invention has the potential to be
used for good, but can also be exploited wrongly. Hence, this should be a reminder for each one that
ethical principles will not only protect the welfare of every individual, but also warrant for the success of
each discovery.

References
Callahan, D. (2020, January 1). Bioethics and The Future: Can Progress Be Tamed? Bioethics.
https://bioethics.hms.harvard.edu/journal/bioethics-balancing-harms

National Human Genome Research Institute. (2023). Genetic Engineering.

https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Genetic-Engineering#:~:text=Genetic%20engineering
%20(also%20called%20genetic,a%20new%20segment%20of%20DNA.

Progress definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary. (2023). In Collins Dictionaries.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/progress

Resnik, D. B. (2021). Bioethics. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/index.cfm

Simmons, D. (2006). Bioethics in Genetics. Learn Science at Scitable.

https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/bioethics-in-genetics-42093/
Sternberg, R. J. (2015). Developing ethical reasoning and/or ethical decision making. IDEA.
https://www.ideaedu.org/idea-notes-on-learning/developing-ethical-reasoning-and-or-ethical-deci
sion-making/