The Re-Creation of Man: Genetic Testing, Genetic Selection or a new form of Eugenics - Dissertation Example

In his influential book – “Shaping the future: Biology and Human Values” – Morowitz (1989) points out that science about the physical world is not stagnant. He continues by stating that each moment, new discoveries are made and a better understanding gained into the workings of the ‘Creation’ right from the limitless space to the ultramicroscopic particles. He reinforces this believe by stating that additionally knowledge is gained and developed, sometimes with the discarding of older established once-axiomatic theories, thus newer disciplines are established.

Ecology, ethnology and anthropology saw giant strides being taken at the same time that branches like nanotechnology, cognitive sciences, computational information technology were being born. Moral philosophy did not remain aloof from these developments. Newer developments in these fields impacted and influenced the futher development of thought in ethical studies. Thus, as more knowledge was gained and ideas formulated regarding the essence of Life, how it originated, how Man developed and the factors that affected his innate humanness, theories in the field of ethics also were affected by this knowledge and newer ideas were born.

Man’s values, aims, objectives, reference points and existence itself is dependent on his environment and this milieu constantly affectss the norms of his social and ethical behaviour. Unless one has a deep understanding of what is Life, how can one attempt to study how it should be lived? mMoral philosophy is no longer an esoteric study, confined to the hallowed portals of academic classrooms and dusty libraries, characterized by endless arguments about fine points, but,it has an active role to play in modern society and its daily workings.

Due to the ubiquitousness of technology and its impact on everyday life, the ethicists need to play an active role in society by – Determining to what extent should these technologies be utilized, Helping in framing the guidelines for their use, Proposing and suggesting restrictions and supervision. From the classroom and university campuses, ethicists shifted into laboratories, clinics and back-offices of governmental departments with ears and attention of scientists and researchers into acting as administrators and policy-makers. 1.1 Ethics and Scientific Development As scientific developments keep unfolding, the moral philosophers need to be constantly adjusting to the new understandings of the World and the Universe and have to determine how ethics should respond in view of the new information.

At the same time, they also need to function as the much maligned ‘Big Brother’, supervising the use of these technologies in the hands of Man. Science is developing at breakneck speed and the technological advances are also becoming more rapid, vaster and more powerful. Thus, Ethicists need to ponder not only on the proper use of these modern ‘tools’