IVG - Huxley's Brave New World/science fiction nightmare?

[LadyStanley]

Beyond IVF: Scientists debate ethics of human reproduction without egg and sperm

Scientists are working on an approach that goes beyond IVF where babies can be made from cells other than eggs or sperm. It has ethicists worried.

news.yahoo.com

Still years from being able to be done.

Click to read more...

 

[Hippasus]

There would definitely be ethical challenges about the pressure of personhood and individual identity if a human could be concocted in such a way. It could be almost some sort of cruel and unusual punishment to such a person (supposing he or she was conscious). Could you imagine what it would feel like to be aware that one has no genetic origin, unlike "normal" people, and that one was synthetically created through the work of scientists or genetic engineers and in laboratories? I think it would be something like being adopted or a foster child, but to the n-th degree.

 

[tarheelhockey]

There would definitely be ethical challenges about the pressure of personhood and individual identity if a human could be concocted in such a way. It could be almost some sort of cruel and unusual punishment to such a person (supposing he or she was conscious). Could you imagine what it would feel like to be aware that one has no genetic origin, unlike "normal" people, and that one was synthetically created through the work of scientists or genetic engineers and in laboratories? I think it would be something like being adopted or a foster child, but to the n-th degree.

For the sake of discussion, I will counter that most of our thoughts concerning our genetic origin aren't terribly useful or even healthy. Growing up simply as a person without reference to ancestral baggage might not be so bad...

 

[Hippasus]

For the sake of discussion, I will counter that most of our thoughts concerning our genetic origin aren't terribly useful or even healthy. Growing up simply as a person without reference to ancestral baggage might not be so bad...

I suppose what I was posting about has more to do with the artificial aspect. The genetic aspect is part of history, and is vindicated as a matter of interest for the given individual. Who knows if that is important for such an individual. I would think it would be. For this to occur could ensue a new sort of tribalism.