Eugenics is ethical
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Eugenics improves the human race
The study of genetic engineering has opened up endless potential for curing diseases and improving human life as a whole.
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The Argument
Eugenics and genetic engineering have been pivotal to improving the genetic makeup of the human race. The practice of eugenics has helped eradicate genetic diseases that are debilitating to people. The scientific potential of genetic engineering has shown promise to help cure diseases such as HIV, sickle-cell anemia, and hemophilia. [1]This makes the human race healthier as a whole.
CRISPR treatments are a breakthrough in the genetic engineering world that would not be possible without the study of eugenics. During studies, scientists have been capable of removing and tweaking specific parts of a patient’s DNA. These studies have been applied to trials in an attempt to help cancer patients. [2]It is clear that the practice of eugenics has forever changed the possibilities of eliminating disease. This shows that the goal of eugenics is meant to improve the human race by helping make it healthier. Therefore, eugenics is an ethical practice.
Counter arguments
The risks of abuse far outweigh the benefits when it comes to eugenics and genetic engineering. It can easily be abused by people that want not only to cure diseases but to enhance physical features. [3]The research spent on eugenics should be spent on curing the actual diseases themselves. It would be far more beneficial to develop a cure for a specific disease rather than spending millions of dollars on research for eugenics. The possibility of curing disease is only a small portion of eugenics, while the rest is filled with the desire for physical enhancements that are not needed. Wasting valuable time and resources on enhancements rather than diseases is unethical.
Proponents
Premises
[P1] Eugenics can help the human race eliminate diseases.
[P2] Improving the health of the human race is important.
[P3] Helping the human race is ethical.
[P4] Therefore, the practice of eugenics is ethical.
Rejecting the premises
References
- https://www.businessinsider.com/genetic-engineering-an-hiv-cure-and-other-diseases
- https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/16/712402435/first-u-s-patients-treated-with-crispr-as-gene-editing-human-trials-get-underway#:~:text=Researchers%20think%20CRISPR%20could%20revolutionize,to%20try%20to%20treat%20diseases.
- https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/04/editing-human-genome-consumer-eugenics-designer-babies