The House of the Scorpion was published as a science fiction novel in 2002. When reading it, I couldn’t quite appreciate that it was in the science fiction genera because honestly, it’s not all that futuristic. Hovercrafts exist, communism and dictatorships are alive and well, human rights debates and wars rage on and cloning is no longer a challenge to today’s scientists. One thing that did strike me about this novel though was the issues of eugenics. In the novel people were cloned and created to be a certain way. It’s totally possible to do this in our world today. So please weigh in, dear classmates, where do you stand on the issue of eugenics? (This is something we are currently dealing with as a society but, I guarantee, will become a more poignant debate in the near future.) Is it “right” to be able to choose the sex of our future children? Their looks? Their intelligence? Should we never give birth to a human with defects if it’s avoidable? What do you feel are the pros and cons of eugenics?
I have always thought that "tinkering with life" is a futile exercise. It is hard to hear, but I believe that it is the challenges of life, and how we deal with them, that is the true purpose of life. It is how we grow. It is what gives us the opportunity to be "greater than what we are".
ReplyDeleteI also feel that eugenics will initially be the playground of the privileged. They will be the ones with the opportunity to use elective eugenics. Is that the world we want? It truly think it is the differences, the flaws in us that make us beautiful. It is the ability to create, to improvise that makes us human.
I agree with Mark, our differences and flaws are what set people apart from others and gives us the ability to live in a world where we can constantly be learning from each other. And who is to say what the "ideal" child is or isn't?? There will never be an agreement or a right or wrong answer.
ReplyDeleteThis is an issue that we will hear more and more about. We have the science that allows infertile couples to have a child of their own. Is this wrong? I don't think so. If an infertile couple decides they want to choose the sex of their future unborn child, they can do this with a small margin for error so long as they are willing to pay for it. Its hard to know at what point we draw the line. I am close friends with a lesbian couple and they are currently shopping for donor sperm. Who am I to tell them what is right and wrong? Just as I did, they have a longing to produce a child of their own and be parents. Their means may be different than others, but they have access to the technology that would allow them to fulfill their dream to be parents.
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