Rapid progress in the fields of genetics and gene therapy is likely to have profound effects on people's lives in the foreseeable future. By altering people's genetic make- up, it may be possible for doctors to cure hereditary diseases, and for parents to choose important characteristics for their children such as their sex or level of intelligence. Such a development would be a major breakthrough for humanity and would solve many present-day problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The main aim of

gene

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therapy

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until now has been to cure or prevent

diseases

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which may, in part, have a genetic origin.

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, outside its medical applications,

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area of science has a range of other possibilities, some of which are controversial. One objection to

gene

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therapy

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concerns the long-term consequences genetic manipulation is possible to have. Some of the techniques used in

gene

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therapy

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involve artificially altered human genes being passed down from one generation to another. It is argued that these genes might well mutate in unexpected ways, and might even cause new and possibly worse

diseases

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in the future.

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argument,

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, is unconvincing, since all new medical techniques involve some degree of uncertainty.

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it is quite possible that there will be some undesirable side effects, the potential benefits, particularly the eradication of crippling hereditary

diseases

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, make the risks worthwhile. Another reason why some people oppose

gene

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therapy

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has to do with individual consent. There is every likelihood that some

parents

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will want to take advantage of

gene

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therapy

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in order to enhance their

children

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's characteristics,

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as hair colour or even intelligence. Opponents of

gene

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therapy

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argue that

parents

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would be doing

this

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without the consent of either their

children

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or the future generations who would be affected.

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, it is highly unlikely that

parents

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would choose to alter their

children

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in ways

which

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that

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the

children

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themselves would not want. A final objection is that some governments might try to use

gene

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therapy

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to create a kind of 'super-race' of people who are physically and intellectually superior, but lacking in genetic diversity.

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argument,

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, is unjustifiable for two reasons.

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, in every probability, it would be impossible to practise genetic manipulation on

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a massive scale.

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, there is little evidence to suggest that a person's personality is determined by genetics alone. In fact, people will always acquire their individuality from their upbringing and education rather than solely from their genetic make-up. In conclusion, I believe that

gene

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therapy

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has a number of interesting possibilities, not just in curing

diseases

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, but

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in allowing

parents

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to ensure that their

children

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enjoy the advantages of growing up to be healthy and intelligent.