Obviously, screening for genetic diseases is good. Healthy people are, all other things being equal, better than unhealthy people. The "Steven Hawking" argument holds no water because there is not nor ever will be a screening test for who will make brilliant scientific discoveries. It could be the runt of the fallopian tubes but it could just as easily be the favored cell.
Moreover, screening for other characteristics, wereit possible, would also be good. Remember, a person is not their body. The body is nothing more than a machine they use to interact with the world. The person inside the body's existence is largely determined by upbringing, social interactions, memories, education, creatvity (as opposed to intelligence), environment and the choices they make of their ow free will. None of the things that really define a person can be screened for because they are determined after birth. Might as well give the person a better machine to pilot.
Genetic diversity will still exist because designer babies will only be available to those well off financially. For most of the world, it won't even be an issue. Even in this country, there will be both people who refuse to have any part of it due to their beliefs and people who have children the old fashioned way because they like to have sex. If a plague comes around, there will be plenty of genetically-accidental humans around that if there is an immunity gene then mankind will survive.
There's even a good chance that designer babies would be no more than a fad that passes when the first generation of supermen matures and find that it has not solved all their problems. Playing God is also not an issue here because if God had not wanted us to become mechanics he would never have given us the opposable thumbs to pick up tools.
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Obviously, screening for genetic diseases is good. Healthy people are, all other things being equal, better than unhealthy people. The "Steven Hawking" argument holds no water because there is not nor ever will be a screening test for who will make brilliant scientific discoveries. It could be the runt of the fallopian tubes but it could just as easily be the favored cell. Moreover, screening for other characteristics, wereit possible, would also be good. Remember, a person is not their body. The body is nothing more than a machine they use to interact with the world. The person inside the body's existence is largely determined by upbringing, social interactions, memories, education, creatvity (as opposed to intelligence), environment and the choices they make of their ow free will. None of the things that really define a person can be screened for because they are determined after birth. Might as well give the person a better machine to pilot. Genetic diversity will still exist because designer babies will only be available to those well off financially. For most of the world, it won't even be an issue. Even in this country, there will be both people who refuse to have any part of it due to their beliefs and people who have children the old fashioned way because they like to have sex. If a plague comes around, there will be plenty of genetically-accidental humans around that if there is an immunity gene then mankind will survive. There's even a good chance that designer babies would be no more than a fad that passes when the first generation of supermen matures and find that it has not solved all their problems. Playing God is also not an issue here because if God had not wanted us to become mechanics he would never have given us the opposable thumbs to pick up tools.