Date Thesis Awarded

5-2021

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Open Access

Degree Name

Bachelors of Science (BS)

Department

Philosophy

Advisor

Christopher Freiman

Committee Members

Maria Victoria Costa

Dana Lashley

Abstract

In 2018, a Chinese scientist, Jiankun He, announced the birth of two HIV-resistant babies through his experiment of human genetic engineering. This incidence has soon shocked the entire scientific community and invoked public outrage towards He’s corrupt moral integrity.

However, this event should also act as a harbinger to the human society that the technique of human genetic engineering is rapidly approaching maturity. In that case, how should we respond?

This thesis focuses on the moral issues surrounding human genetic engineering and advertises an accepting moral attitude to this booming technology. This thesis will first discuss the types of human genetic engineering that bioethicists usually make and reject their moral significance. This thesis will then proceed to defend human genetic engineering against seven types of moral objections and establish the moral permissibility of human genetic engineering. Finally, this thesis contends that in the future society which guarantees the safety and accessibility of human genetic engineering, parents have the moral obligation to use human genetic engineering for the betterment of their children.

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