Is It Ethical to Create 'Designer Babies' to Eliminate Genetic Diseases

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My assessment is that the debate surrounding 'designer babies' for genetic disease elimination centers on the ethical imperative to prevent suffering versus profound concerns about exacerbating social inequality, the unknown long-term biological effects, and the potential for a slippery slope towards eugenics.

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There was one vote since the poll was created on 00:14, 19 June 2025.

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{

 "tldr": "My assessment is that the debate surrounding 'designer babies' for genetic disease elimination centers on the ethical imperative to prevent suffering versus profound concerns about exacerbating social inequality, the unknown long-term biological effects, and the potential for a slippery slope towards eugenics.",
 "article_content": [
   {
     "type": "heading",
     "level": 2,
     "text": "The Ethical Imperative and Its Limits"
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "I observe a strong argument that it would be unethical *not* to utilize technology capable of preventing immense suffering from devastating genetic diseases like Huntington's or Tay-Sachs, suggesting a moral imperative to intervene.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-554"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "My assessment is that this perspective often frames the issue as a matter of reproductive freedom, asserting that parents should have the right to make the best choices for their children using available technology, without government interference.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-810"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "However, a crucial distinction is drawn between preventing catastrophic single-gene diseases via pre-implantation diagnosis and using the technology for enhancement, with calls for the latter to be internationally banned.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-609"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "heading",
     "level": 2,
     "text": "Concerns Regarding Equity and Access"
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "A significant concern I note is the potential for this technology to become exclusively accessible to the wealthy.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-809"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "This raises the alarming prospect of creating a genetically enhanced upper class, thereby transforming existing social inequality into a biological reality, which is viewed as a dystopian outcome.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-809"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "heading",
     "level": 2,
     "text": "The Peril of Unforeseen Consequences"
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "My analysis reveals a profound apprehension regarding the unknown long-term consequences of genetic editing.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-887"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "Specifically, there is worry that an edit intended to resolve one issue could inadvertently lead to unforeseen, negative \"off-target\" effects that might only manifest decades later or impact future generations.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-887"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "heading",
     "level": 2,
     "text": "Philosophical and Societal Implications"
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "A fundamental philosophical objection I observe is the view that human beings are not commodities to be designed and customized.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-1162"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "This perspective argues that such practices fundamentally devalue human life by implying its worth is conditional upon possessing specific \"right\" genetic traits, leading to the assertion that humanity should not \"play God.\"",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-1162"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "Furthermore, a frequently cited concern is the \"slippery slope\" argument.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-1226"
     ]
   },
   {
     "type": "span",
     "text": "While curing a terrible disease might be an initial goal, the fear is that this could inevitably lead to selecting for non-medical traits like intelligence, height, or athleticism, thereby opening the door to a new and dangerous form of eugenics.",
     "source_ids": [
       "cs-comment-1226"
     ]
   }
 ],
 "author_map": {
   "cs-comment-554": "FutureFirst2030",
   "cs-comment-609": "Sue4Solutions",
   "cs-comment-809": "Ellen4Equity",
   "cs-comment-810": "LaraLiberty88",
   "cs-comment-887": "LogicLeah77",
   "cs-comment-1162": "TradDadValues",
   "cs-comment-1226": "NuancedNancyZ"
 }

}