Types of Genetic Engineering
In this video I explore – somatic-cell gene therapy, germ-line gene therapy, enhancement genetic engineering (designer babies), eugenic genetic engineering, animal genetic engineering, gm crops, embryo cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning.
Ethical Responses
In this video I look at what would Natural Law, Utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, Situation Ethics and Christian Ethics say to the different forms of genetic engineering.
As Christian Ethics is so varied I have not included it in the table below
|
Natural Law |
Utilitarianism |
Kant |
Situation ethics |
|
|
Somatic-cell GT |
☺ Fulfils precept to live |
☺ Produces greatest good for greatest number |
☺/☹ Depends on which way you argue it |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
|
Germ-line GT |
☺ Again helps fulfil purpose of life and reproduction |
☺ Produces greatest good for greatest number |
☺/☹ Depends on which way you argue it |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
|
Enhancement GT |
☹ Against God’s design and doesn’t seem to have a purpose. |
☺ Makes people happy |
☹ It doesn’t make other ‘that’ happy |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
|
Eugenic GT |
☹ No purpose in editing God’s design |
☺/☹ Depends on the situation |
☺/☹ Depends on which way you argue it |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
|
GM crops |
☺ Help solve problem of world hunger which helps to also fulfil the precept of life. |
☺ Solving the problem of world hunger outweighs any costs |
☺ Imperfect duty to make people happy |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
|
Animal GT |
☺ Humans have dominion over animals so nothing wrong with using them to fulfill the precept of life. |
☺ Produces greatest good for greatest number |
☺ Kantian ethics is based on the ability to reason so using animals to fulfil imperfect duty is not a problem. |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
|
Embryo cloning |
☺ Life is scared so this would be a NO. |
☺/☹ Depends on the situation |
☺/☹ Depends on which way you argue it |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
|
Reproductive cloning |
☹ No purpose in editing God’s design |
☺/☹ Depends on the situation |
☺/☹ Depends on which way you argue it |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
|
Therapeutic cloning |
☺ Helps fulfill purpose of life – to live. |
☺ Produces greatest good for greatest number |
☺/☹ Depends on which way you argue it |
☺ Can be most loving thing to do but pragmatics and costs have to be taken into account. |
