asidman

When a Los Angeles fertility clinic offered last month to let parents choose their kids' hair and eye color, public outrage followed. On March 2, the clinic shut the program down — and that, says transhumanist author James Hughes, is a shame.

According to Hughes, using reproductive technologies — in this case, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), in which doctors screen embryos before implanting them — for cosmetic purposes is just an old-fashioned parental impulse, translated into 21st century technology.........

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2...nerdebate.html

What is the opinion on this? I reckon gonna be split...

-=Rousseau=-

Yay eugenics. Seriously, have people not learned? **** no, they shouldn't. The argument that women should be able to do so because "it's their body" is BS... It's not their body, it's their kid's body that they are changing.

asidman

Its a very touchy subject...i think eventually we'll start understanding it a bit better and be able to eliminate major diseases and flaws, but when it starts to become a rich mans playground and the like, it becomes a problem. Eliminating possibly flawed genes that cause cancer, fine, rich kids, being better etc, no frikkin way!

kinbard

So fact catches up to fiction, the movies becomes reality. Next stop, the Matrix.

WereBo

As asidman says, it's a brilliant tool to diagnose the various genetic disorders that occur, as long as that's all it's used for. When it's used for what can only be called 'Parental Ego', then that crosses the line into dangerous areas.

We've only just scratched the surface of human genetics, any tinkering now can lead to heaven-knows-what, in generations to come.

Drew1369

Definitely needs more research before we can even touch the non detrimental subjects of the fetus (ie eye color, hair color etc...) HOWEVER I dont think that it should be used for this even if it is perfected.

but, if there is a chance to reduce the chance of things like downs syndrome I think there might be some merit to this...

lolarobot

I think this is by far the most bizarre thing I have heard of. It's one thing to possibly choose gender, but hair/eye color? I mean is there a bad eye color or a bad hair color? What about height or nose size or eye size....?? Just choose an attractive partner, right? :)

asidman

Hey lola Whats happening with op? Happened yet??
Is there an easy universal answer? I doubt it, but i still think the potential for good with this technology far outweighs any disadvantages, but like it was said, a line needs to be drawn, and regulations implemented.
Specific advantages or cosmetic changes - Should not be allowed.
Eliminating disease & genetic problems - Good, but like i read in an article, who says eliminating a genetic problem such as cancer, won't flip another switch that causes obesity.
It boils down to the fact although we have mapped human genes etc, there is still a loooooooooooong way to go before we begin to grasp what we have discovered in the mysterious human gene.

kinbard

I want my baby back baby back baby back...

lolarobot

Surgery is on Friday and I did some testing today and more tomorrow to determine if I need one, two or three discs replaced. I thought 2, but not sure yet. I love Bavaria! It is so different from America. I have not had one allergy here, the weather is cool and nice, the architecture and castles are lovely, etc. I am scared and alone, but fine. Very few people speak English, which is an issue and there are way to many fabulous bakeries and German coffee. I probably have gained 5 lbs. since I have been here, but the the doctor said I was thin, compared to most Bavarians, which is good:)....pause, nurse just came to give me an anti-thrombosis shot... ahhhh.

You know something that I should NOT admit, but it has always been in the back of my mind, and I hate to say it, but related to the topic at hand, I have looked at my last 2 partners and said, "Would we have pretty babies?" With one, I knew the baby would be very tall, dark hair and blue eyes, but with the last one, it was a toss up... I won't go into further details, but I think women naturally gravitate toward the man who will produce the strongest child, and in strong, I don't mean physical strength, but in immunity, psychology and intelligence. And, of course tall, dark and handsome does not hurt:) I mean if I met some short, bald guy with bad eyes and a hair lip, gosh, do I really want a baby with that guy? Does that sound bad? Probably yes, but it is just the truth. Think about guys who donate their sperm. Those women want looks and intelligence and won't settle for below average sperm, right, so why should we with men? I guess the same goes for a man who is choosing a woman. He would want her to have the same strong characteristic traits, not someone who has a propensity for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc. Also, from what I understand, mixing races (which I think is fine morally) can also create a problem with certain diseases, blood donorship, etc.

All for now.

kinbard

Hi lolarobot,
Good to see you are going to be able to keep in touch during this. We've continued to closed topic via pm. I think everyone is seeing eachs side clearly now. Are you going to have a good chance of site seeing while there? Or is it all via the hospital window?