ENV 320W Study Guide - Final Guide: Gene Therapy, Human Enhancement

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Environment
• Course: ENV 320W
• Professor: Dan Hooley

Document Summary

Argument: human enhancement is morally acceptable because we"ve already encouraged the use of these enhancement (supplements, prosthetics, vaccinations, etc) Enhancement: procedure that improves our functioning (increase general capabilities: not for purely aesthetics (i. e. breast augmentations, tattoos, alteration in appearance, enhancement benefits the individual. Objection: accepted enhancements are medical treatments not enhancements. Response: modern medicine improves normal conditions: consider definition of normal , treatment and enhancement are morally indistinguishable, many treatments alter typical functions. Response: if enhancement not wrong, how incorporating genetics makes it bad: genetics = no moral difference, genetic consequences in future but if tested safe, why not use it, unlikely future generations would prefer no beneficial enhancement. Response: what"s unnatural ? no logical reason why nature is preferred over unnatural: if humans morally obligated from controlling the world, we already have, if worried about genetic risks, we should continue researching safe modifications then. Objection: genetic enhancement takes away children rights (most modification done during early life stages)