Mr. Hartan's Science Class

"Knowledge is a reckoning . . . a way to assess your location, your true position, not a strategy for improving your position." -Walter Kirn-

GATTACA

February 12, 2009 at 2:16 pm · Filed under Genetics

eng_gattaca

Based on what you’ve seen and heard in the movie GATTACA, answer one of the questions below. Your comment should be thorough and well thought out. We will be discussing GATTACA in class. Due on the Friday we get back from vacation.

1. As a couple, you decide to perform a genetic test on your 10 week old fetus (in the womb) in order to determine whether your child may have Downs Syndrome. The test is between 90%-95% accurate with a 5%-10% false-positive rate (meaning that in 5% to 10% of the cases the fetus will be diagnosed as having Down’s Syndrome even though it does not. After having had the test, the physician informs you that your child does, in fact, have Downs Syndrome. Your doctor asks you whether you want to keep the child (go through with the birth) or terminate the pregnancy. What would you do and why?

2. You are an employer and know from genetic testing that the most qualified applicant for the job has a 70% chance of developing multiple sclerosis in one years time.  Would you hire this person? Why or why not?

Knowledge of one’s genetic screen could profoundly affect the price of insurance. Insurance companies operate on a risk assessment basis, where individuals with a greater potential of developing health complications are charged more than individuals who are deemed healthy. Actuarialists look at statistics to determine howmuch their clients should be charged. With current advancements in genetic testing, there is the potential to discriminate those with “bad genes.” It is quite possible that individuals classified as high risk individuals may be denied the opportunity to purchase insurance. However, insurance companies must operate as a business, looking out for themselves and their clients’ best interests.

3. You are representing an insurance company. A potential client approached your company about the possibility of purchasing insurance. After reviewing her file, including a gene scan, you realize that she falls into a high risk category for cancer and high blood pressure. Would you deny this person health insurance (knowing that it would save your company money) or provide them with an insurance policy that was extremely expensive?

4. During a gala party scene in GATTACA, a woman submits a saliva sample from a recent kiss to screen her potential boyfriend/husband’s DNA. Is she violating his rights by doing this without his knowledge? Is this in anyway similar to performing a background check? How much would a DNA screen reveal about someone’s personality and intelligence?

5. During a scene in Gattaca, Vincent’s parents visited a doctor who specialized in child conception to select for the best traits for his future brother. They hoped that his brother would have the best possible chances for a successful life. Some of the traits mentioned in GATTACA included intelligence, height and any possibility of inheritable diseases. If you decide to have a child one day and are given the opportunity to select for special traits, would you do so? Why or why not?

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55 Comments »

  HenryA P.6 wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 2:11 pm

5. If I had the opportunity to choose what traits my child had, then I would. As a parent I would want to give my son/daughter every possible advantage in order to succeed. It may not be natural but I know that if they don’t have to worry about catching a fatal disease, or not having a strong enough heart to play sports, they could potentially live a better life. Even though in the movie GATTACA the perfect people weren’t all that happy, they have been given traits increase there potential of a happier life and a better future. This would be something I would want for my children.

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  Alan S wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 2:19 pm

5. Chance is something that isn’t always kind to people, and I would want to give my child the best possible chance of survival and long-jevity as possible. Some may call it inhumane, maybe not how life was supposed to be lived, but once you are put in the situation I think people would be amazed how far they would go for their loved ones. If science got to that point someday, which I beleive it could, I would defintely take advantage of the hard work put in. With the rate that science is moving forward now, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that I could be faced with the same decision as Anton’s parents, and I know what my decision would be.

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  Colby Ham. wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 2:19 pm

If i thought that there was even a remote chance that a fetus had down’s syndrome i would choose to abort. This is because i believe that a fetus is not aware yet and once it is aware and if it did have down’s syndrome then it would not have a happy existence in this world. Besides since the baby is not concious it is almost like euphemising them. Whether you agree with whether to abort probably has somthing to do with whether you believe euphemism is right. If a child had down’s and i knew of a way to stop that suffering before it started then i would. That is what i believe.

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  Tom chub wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 2:20 pm

5) personally I would not choose to give my child special traits or gifts because then it takes out the possibility of suprise. Though I would like for my child to be gifted I want them to figure out what they’re good at and not what I wanted them to be good at because most kids don’t like it when parents tell them to just simply do stuff so I can’t imagine what it would be like if parents chose their kids live.

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  doug r period 6 wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 2:22 pm

1. Personally, i would terminate the pregnancy and save my child the trouble of living in a world where they cannot be what they want to or work hard and get rewarded. In the world of GATTACA everything is based on genes and your capabilities and not how you actually perform or act. Even though you may be a hard worker and a skilled employee you may not be hired because of your parent’s non-wilingness to secure your genes. Downs Syndrome is serious and if my child had it in a GATTACA world he would go nowhere and not be able to do very much at all. I think that he might also get angry at me for not making him better because he cannot do anything and everything he does is tested for genes and DNA. I would definately terminate the pregnancy before i get attached to the child and want to have him. I want my child to be able to be succesful as he wants to be and be able to work hard to gain rank and status in society.

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  Ben H wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 2:24 pm

5.) If I had the oppurtunity to creat a child with perfect genetics I would. I would want my child to be whats best in me. Also, I would want my child to have the best chances of not only succeeding, but living a long life. There are too many variables for my child to grow up with a genetic illness. If I had the oppurtunity, I believe it would be irresponsible not to grant my child that benefit.

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  Alex Sp. wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 4:59 pm

5.) In the movie GATTACA, Vincent’s parents use the opportunity of child conception in order to pick out the best traits for their second son. If in the future I had the opportunity to personally select certain traits like intelligence, height, and inheritable diseases, I would most likely pass the opportunity up. I believe in a natural life for my son or daughter; so that he or she grows up in the way that they are raised and through their genetics. It makes more sense for someone to go through life and grow in the ways they were influenced, rather than genetically enhancing their lives. If the advancements of science aren’t used for selfish reasons, then the improvements and accomplishments of science are impressive and important to advancements of society and research for disease. As long as the successes and developments of science are not used solely for selfish and personal reasons, they are extremely important to help discover the reasons and explanations for harmful diseases spread around the world. If I had the opportunity to find out more about child conception, I would use it to discover more about prevention of diseases rather than traits such as hair color and height.

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  Michelle R. wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 5:09 pm

Gattaca Question #5:
If I decide to have a child one day and are given the opportunity to select special traits, I would happily decline. I believe that if you chose to have a child, you should be happy with what you get. If you choose specified genes and what-not, then it feels that much more unreal. If you simply let nature take its course and have the genes be assembled the way they are supposed to, then the surprise of a healthy baby is much more rewarding. Not knowing and being surprise at how great they are with your genes is much better then knowing exactly what your baby will be like. Even though I can see potential benefits of choosing special traits, I think letting it be is the way to go.

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  Alex R. wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 5:21 pm

Question 1

I would keep the child and go through with the birth if my child did have Down syndrome. I would do this because I think it would be wrong to terminate the pregnancy. The fetus is living and growing and it would be horrible to kill it because of a genetic disorder. It may be a lot of work to take care of a child like this but in the end it is worth it because as parents, you love your child no matter what problems it has.

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  Abby W. wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 6:40 pm

If I decide to have a child in the future, and am given the opportunity to select special traits for it I would not do so. Although, if our world was like the one Vincent’s parents live in, I would more likely give into the corrupt societies standards and select the best possible qualities for my child. Many aspects of the rapidly advancing field of genetics, conflict with moral and religious views of many. This is one instance that exemplifies this exactly. I personally practice Christianity, and believe that we should keep the body, and mind that God gave to us. For example, if I were presented the opportunity to get a nose job(plastic surgery), I would not because I find it a selfish, vain and wrong, waste of money that could be going to a much better cause. I would want my future child to be created naturally, and have the qualities that it was made to attain. I would embrace my child’s imperfections, rather than erase them with genetic modification before birth. Everyone is free to make their own decision on controversies like this, but I personally have a strong opinion that this is wrong, and would never do so to my own child.

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  Bradford wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 6:45 pm

Question 1: If my wife were pregnant and we found out that there was a high probability that the baby had Down’s Syndrome, I would not want the pregnancy aborted. I would not have a baby killed simply because it may be diseased or impaired in some way. Aborting a baby is , especially if it is done due to a perceived and not even a guaranteed diagnosis.

First, the test is not one hundred percent accurate, so even if your intention were to abort only a child with Down’s Syndrome, you could be aborting a healthy child. Next, even if there were a fool-proof way to test for Down’s Syndrome and the test proved that the baby had Down’s Syndrome, it would still be completely immoral to kill the child simply because of its disease. If this baby had the choice, I doubt that he would request to his parents that he be ed before birth. Third, aborting a fetus with Down’s Syndrome is no different than a five-year-old with Down’s Syndrome. To perform an abortion on the unborn baby would be , no less. Thus, in the situation presented, I would choose to have my wife give birth and we would accept it just like any other child.

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  Justin Sw. wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 6:57 pm

5. This a life changing question that can impact your child significantly. I would chose to have the baby develop great genes. For example intelligence, height, and the slimmest possibility that my child would have a disease. I think that doing this to the baby would help it significantly. It would help it get a job, get into a great school, and most of all help make its life better. My choice would help my child in the road of life and give it a head start. I think that this would be a great idea because you are taking the best in a person and applying it to a new born life. In the end making this decision would positively impact my child’s life.

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  Jessie B. wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 7:39 pm

4) I think that the woman is violating her bofriend’s rights by sending his saliva out to be tested. This is similar to a background test, but at a higher degree because a background test does not tell as much about genetics and genetic diseases or weaknesses. Background tests are mainly about things that had happened in someone’s life before. A DNA test on the other hand, reveals a lot about a person’s inteligence such as their IQ or past instances which reflected their inteligence. It will also reveal alot about a person’s personality. It could reveal their point of view on a lot of things, or what a person’s preferences are.

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  Jeff D. wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 8:23 pm

#5
If I had the chose of special traits that my wife and I wanted, I would be 100% for it. This is for many reasons. One reason that I would want to choose my childs traits would be because I would want him/her to have the qualities to be able to live a long and successful life. If he was scheduled to be short and not greatly intelligent and I wanted him to be a star basketball player, I would definetly switch the genes around to make him tall and intelligent.
Another reason would be to avoid any flaws that he might recieve if he had a normal birth. I would want him to have no weaknesses and be able to achieve great accomplishments. I also wouldn’t want him to inherit any diseases that could shorten or harm his life in any
way. In this technology filled society, why wouldn’t you want the best qualities for the best life for your kids?

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  Eleanor H wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 8:53 pm

Number 1: If I were to have a baby and then have it tested for downs syndrome and found the test to be positive, I would still have the baby. I would still have the baby even after discovering it had downs syndrome because it is a life that deserves to be lived. The test could also be wrong, but either way the baby should have a life. It would be both hard on the parents and the child but nobody should be denied the right to a life, even if it may be one different from others. The baby has downs syndrome for a reason and altering what has been given to the baby would be morally wrong. If a child is given downs syndrome through child conception where the traits are chosen, then this is wrong because nobody should have that kind of life placed upon them due to the difficulty of it. A child with downs syndrome would miss out on many aspects of life, but would still have a life. I would still have the baby because I believe it is morally right and would never want to deprive somebody to their right of a life.

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  kailey-p4 wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 9:07 pm

5) I would not chose to select certain traits for my child. I Think one of the main goals in life, specificly during the early stages is to “find” your true self and figure out who you are, I think by selecting someones traits they loose this oppertunity. In the movie GATTACA, Vincent, who is naturally born is always competing with his genetically modified brother. Vincent has to work harder then his brother and in return it makes him a stronger person because he doesnt just get everything given to him. So I would want my child to push themselves so they, like vincent can become strong and stable. I also think because they would have to work harder they would develop a strong sense of pride. Finally I think life would be very predictable and boring. Even though most of us fear the unknown we are also intreaged by it, we want to know whats in store for us but not knowing also keps life exciting and unpredictable.

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  Jacqueline S. Period 6 wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 9:52 pm

5. If I were ever given the oppurtunity to select special traits for my child, I would not. This is because I think what God gives you is what you are meant to get and there is a reason for that. If I was meant to have a child with a certain disease then I don’t think I should have the power to change that. It is God’s decision in the end that should be the final decision and I won’t be the one to change that decision. Some things in life are meant to be for a reason and should not be changed. Even though selecting special traits could have benefits like no disease in a child I don’t think it is right to pick out the traits that I want in my child.

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  Shannon B wrote @ March 3, 2009 at 10:21 pm

4.) I think DNA screening is similar to doing a background check because you are finding all of the person’s information like their job and in this case if they are “valid” or “invalid.” I think it may be violating his rights because he didn’t aprove to tell her anything personal yet. He probably thinks that he doesn’t know her well enough and it is none of her business to know. By finding somone’s DNA you could reveal their criminal record or other personal information they are not ready to tell their girlfriend. I don’t think a DNA reveal test would say too much about someone’s personality but more about thier intelligence. It may show a background that can include education degree or the school/college they went to, which can show just how much intelligence you have. A DNA test might also reveal where the person grew up which can tell you the lifestyle they had as a child. To conclude, a DNA reveal test shows a lot of information about someone and I believe that unless it is for a crime scene trying to figure out a murder case or something along those lines, no one should violate anyone’s personal information through a DNA test without their permission.

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  Chris Law. wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 3:54 pm

1. I would definitely keep the baby. This baby is mine no matter what is wrong with it. It is like a child falls and gets a scratch you aren’t going to abandon it. Also, there is a chance that our baby will not have Downs Syndrome. Downs Syndrome kids can also live a normal life. Every test has their faults.

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  Brooke R. wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 4:57 pm

If I were given the chance to select for special traits I might in certain cases. For instince if my husband or I had any genes for unwanted diseases I might take up on this offer, because I want a healthy baby. Another way that I would chose to select for special traits is if I say for example had three boys and my husband and I really would like a girl, then I would chose to select my baby to be a female, to make sure I wouldn’t get another boy. Other wise I would most likely not touch the other traits besides gender and diseases, and hope for the best. Even though Vincent had a heart condition and was not very athletic or strong, he was stronger in other traits, such as his intelligence. So it shows that you don’t have to pick out everything the child is going to be, because no matter what, nobody can be absolutely perfect.

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  Derek C P. 4 wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 5:15 pm

Question 2

Even if a person had a high chance of being diagnosed with a disease I would still hire them. The reason for this is that person could be very efficient in the job field and deciding not to hire them may not be a good decision. For one thing there is a chance that the employee may never contact the disease. In that case the decision would pay off rather well. But on the other side of it if the employee were to get the disease you could always find a replacement. Therefore I think that hiring the most qualified applicant would be a good idea.

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  chris lep. wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 5:29 pm

2. I would not hire this person because it would waste time for me to train them and to put money into them to go out of work. It makes me feel bad but i know it will only harm my business and could make me lose money and time. I think there should be strict laws against testing for genetic information or knowledge of genetic information for and employer.

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  Brittany J wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 6:18 pm

1. If I got my fetus tested for Downs Syndrome and the doctor informed me that the child did have it, I would still keep the child. I would keep him/her because every living thing deserves a chance to live in this world. Killing the fetus would be killing a living, breathing organism. I wouldn’t care about what extremes my husband and I would have to go through in order to support the child. I would do watever it took to have my child live the life he/she deserves to live.

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  Brianna I. P4 wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 6:26 pm

5. If I were given an opportunity to select special traits for my child, I would. However, I would only select certain traits. For instance, I would chose for my child to not have any chance to have a disease that would negatively affect his or her life. I would not chose what my child would look like, how tall he or she would be or how intelligent. I believe that these should be left to be selected naturally. Any trait that would shorten or ruin the life of my child in any way would be automatically taken away.

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  Maya wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 6:31 pm

4) In Gattaca, there is a scene where a woman submits a saliva sample after a kiss. I don’t think she is violating his rights because it’s just the way technology has evolved. Before computers, background checks weren’t used often, but now they’re considered common, though background checks are slightly less in depth. I’m not sure that anyone would refuse to become involved with someone based on a 60% chance of heart disease within the next twenty years. Perhaps if both people have a recessive gene for a genetic disorder then it would get complicated. Although, I think that it is easier to decide whether or not to have a child before it is actually conceived. The emotional toll a genetic disease takes on a family is evident, but if two people think that they want to take the chance and have a child anyway, the decision should be up to them. Lastly, to talk about it from a legal standpoint, in the movie he technically gave his spit to her making it her property, so she can do with it what she wants.

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  Andy B per 4 wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 6:44 pm

4. She is violating his rights because she is doing a DNA check without him knowing about it. It would be okay if she told him about it and if he approved, but she did not and that is what makes it wrong. I think it is similar to a background check because she is probably trying to find out information about him. A DNA test would reveal a lot about a person. It could reveal information about a persons family, if they have any mental disabilities or not, and a persons traits. I do not think that a DNA test wold reveal much about a persons personality, but it could reveal information about a persons intelligence. It could reveal what job they have and where they went to school. To wrap it up, it is wrong to perform a DNA test without a person knowing unless it is for a good purpose or if the person is informed.

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  Shannon G. wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 6:54 pm

1) I would most definitely keep the baby, whether or not it had Downs Syndrome (a condition where a child receives an extra chromosome.) Downs Syndrome only affects 1 out of every 800 babies, so it is not that common. If my child were to have been diagnosed with this condition, out of all 800 babies, I would’ve felt like I was given this child for a reason. Perhaps I would have been the perfect choice to take on the challenge. I would’ve looked at this optimistically, looking forward to helping the child as best as I could, leading them onto the path to developing mentally and physically. I would treat the child like any other child and allow him/her to be given the same opportunities as everyone else, enjoying a life full of goals and ambition. Having a child with Downs Syndrome would make me feel like I am making a change in this world. Any type of disease or condition cannot decide a child’s success; it would all be up to the parents. I believe that whether or not your baby is diagnosed with Downs Syndrome or any other condition, the child is yours to care for; it is your responsibility to give them a chance in this world. If I were ever put into this situation, without a doubt, I would keep the child.

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  sarah lev. wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 7:16 pm

5. if i could select specific traits for my future child i do not think i would. i think the natural way of developing a personality and becoming your own person is better. i would rather my child be influenced by their surroundings than be designed from birth. the only thing i would chose specifically would be to keep them from having fatal diseases and make them healthy. i think designing your child from birth is depriving them of choosing who they want to be. so no i would not pick out the traits that my child would have.

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  Ellie- period 3 wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 7:23 pm

Answer to Question 5:
There are several reasons why I would never choose the traits of my child, even if I had the opportunity. One main reason is because I would want my son or daughter to be who they are supposed to be. I wouldn’t want to create someone that is not meant to be mine. Also, if I chose some of their traits, then they could be a perfect human being; no one is supposed to be perfect. As well, I think that a child is made the way they should be. For instance, if a child was given well athletic skills, they could grow up to become a professional athlete. With this in mind you cannot be sure of what him or hers true fate was. Also, I would feel as though I was giving birth to a complete stranger. That is because my offspring would not carry all of the correct genes from my husband and me. Lastly, I think that if I chose the traits of my child, they would not reflect off the background of my family. All in all, I would never choose the characteristics of my child, even if I had the opportunity, because I would want my child to be unique and all mine.

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  Jeff Q wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 7:40 pm

4. Yes i do believe that the woman is violating her potential boyfriend/husband by doing this without him knowing. A person has a right to his/her privacy and that should be invaded by no one. I do believe that this is similar to a backround check whick i also think is wrong if done without somebody knowing it. This DNA test proably would reveal much of his intelligence but i don’t believe it sould reveal much of his personality besides the possibility of deppression or other possibble personal related issues.

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  S. Jon. wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 8:01 pm

If I decide to have a child one day and are given the opportunity to select for special traits such as what Vincent’s parents did for him in the movie GATTACA I would because even though this is thought to be as somewhat immoral this would help produce the best and most successful child. This is important because the child will grow to be stronger smarter and healthier than if this was not done.

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  Stephen C wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 8:14 pm

numero 5. If I had to decide to have a child and am given the opportunity to select for special traits, I would only select gender but nothing else. I feel that having a child naturally is the best way to go through life for the child. If I were that baby, I would feel like I’m not really part of my mother and father and that I’m not a natural human being. The child wouldn’t have the same eye, height, or hair color as my wife or me. Many people wouldn’t make the comment “oh you look just like your mom or dad”. This also could be a newly tested process and something could go terribly wrong with the child. The only advantage to these special traits is gender. If I already had a male as a child, I would probably prefer a female.

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  Alex D. Period 4 wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 8:56 pm

1. If placed in the difficult position of knowing that there was a very high chance that when born my kid would have Down’s Syndrome, that baby would be born. This is a completely different situation from that of a normal abortion, during which a family is not ready economically or mentally for another member of the family. In this case, we wanted to go ahead with having a baby, and there isn’t a 100 % chance that the baby will have Down’s Syndrome. I would hope that somehow this test was wrong, but if that isn’t the case, I would love the child with or without the disease. It is still my child and a decent human being, so it deserves a chance to experience the world and its surroundings.

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  Brian F. wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 9:24 pm

5) I would change some of his given traits. If there was a way to make my child not have a disease, then i would do that, to prevent future suffering. On all other traits, i would leave them the way they were going to be normally.

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  Bridget P. P-3 wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 10:27 pm

If I did in fact have the option of choosing certain traits about my future child, I most likely would not participate. Messing with DNA, although genius, fascinating, and potentially life-changing, is also unnatural, and not the way the world was meant to be. If anything, I would choose to use this opportunity to exclude genetically inherited, possibly fatal diseases. This would improve the life of my child greatly if they had a lower chance of disease.

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  Katie H wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 10:37 pm

4) I think this is a violating someones personal space because that is someones own personal spit. I think this is different from a background check becasue that is public knowledge where was your dna isn’t. It also isn’t really neccessary to know about someones dna. It shouldn’t matter what the persons dna tells you so you should be able to check it and get it tested on your own without the other persons consent. People being able to find out about someones dna gives them more to use against them so it is a violation of privacy.

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  Mary wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 11:10 pm

The women at the gala party who submitted the man’s saliva sample without him no was violating his rights. His rights were being violated because first he had no idea this was happening and secondly this was almost taking away the real point of getting to know someone because you can tell a lot about someone from their genes. Genes can show you the genetic traits that a person inherited from their parents like eye color etc. But you cannot tell how intelligent that person is just from their genes and their personality. The man’s DNA being submitted is also somewhat like a background check because it gives a description about what the person looks like but it also tells you the things that his/her has done good or bad.

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  Curts S Period 6 wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 11:39 pm

im answering question 4

ok well i do beleive that this DNA screening is similar to a backround check but with a DNA screening they would know almost everything about you. The backround check is good for like jail sentences or other things like that but DNA would allow for so much more like diseases, disorders, and even when they are going to die.

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  Chelsea N.- period 4 wrote @ March 4, 2009 at 11:43 pm

5. If and when I have a child someday in the future, I would want this child to be mine, with his/her own destined traits. Even if I was given the opportunity to alter or select certain traits, I would not do so because I believe that a human being is made the way they are for a specific reason. If this means that my child has a disease, or disorder, then I will accept that fact and battle with challenges that lie ahead because I would know that my child was given these traits for a reason. Also, if a child’s traits are revised, or altered, even before they are born, then that will give them certain advantages over others. I believe that this benefit would make a child close to, or almost perfect, and no human being is supposed meant to be perfect because mistakes are how we learn from life. I want my child to be mine, without any alterations, and only and have traits inherited from his/her father. I don’t want to give birth to a child that is not completely mine. So, even if I was given the opportunity, I would turn it down, either way.

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  Nicole C. wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 12:48 pm

Question Number 5:
After already considering this particularly controversial issue while watching the movie, I would obviously do my best to protect my child from any genetic diseases if I could, however, IT IS NOT MY PLACE TO DECIDE THEIR UNIQUE CHARACTER TRAITS!!!!!!!! It is both sick and unethical to decide everything about them through genetic manipulation. A child has to work the individual advantages they are given by nature. If for example, I were to give them a genetic advantage physically, the child would be guided down the road of sports through no choice of their own. There is a reason that human genetics has persisted for millennia without dying out, what gives us the right to mess around with it now. It would eventually come back to haunt us. Affecting genes that dictate character, physique or intelligence robs the child of both choice and the hard work involved in doing what they love. Sure it might make things easier for them throughout life, but it would deprive them of valuable life lessons that come with persistence and dedication. Effectively, you would be creating a bunch of robots who have no individuality or drive. If everyone is special, then no one is.

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  Edward B wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 5:55 pm

If I where put into the situation where I had the choice to keep or abort a fetus with down syndrome I would abort. Although the fetus has 46 chromosomes it is not aware of anything around it and can not be considered a human yet. If the fetus is not aborted than it will be born as a human with down syndrome. What kind of life will this person live and how big an impact will it have on it’s family. It is very expensive to raise a person with down syndrome and this can all be stopped by not allowing the fetus to grow into a human.

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  Edward B wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 5:56 pm

If I where put into the situation where I had the choice to keep or abort a fetus with down syndrome I would abort. Although the fetus has 46 chromosomes it is not aware of anything around it and can not be considered a human yet. If the fetus is not aborted than it will be born as ahuman with down syndrome. What kind of life will this person live and how big an impact will it have on it’s family. It is very expensive to raise a person with down syndrome and this can all be stopped by not allowing the fetus to grow into a human.

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  Jacob g p. 4 wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 8:13 pm

5. I would decide not to do this if given a chance, it is interesting but its almost unfair to other people who are not given this chance. Also it almost completley erases the challenge of parenting, through this it is almost like its not your real kid. This wouldn’ t make life fair and soon all people will be almost the same, they may not look alike but they will be basically the same in attitude.

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  Martin C period 6 wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 9:26 pm

Answer number 3.
If it was possible to do something like a gene scan then i think it would be against peoples rights to deny some one health insurance due to the risk of their death. If no gene test was poformed then the person would get the insurance. It seems unfair to refuse some one insurance because of the way they were born. I would understand that there is no way for the person to pay for medical bills without insurance. The client falls in the high risk category but that doesn’t garantee that they will develope cancer or high blood pressure. So if it was up to me the person would get the insurance policy.

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  christ4 wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 9:35 pm

if i had the opportunity to chose some traits of my children i would do it. i would makesure that he/she was smart, strong and ginger. i would do this because i coud make my shild have a better chance at succeeding in life. also there aren’t many gingers so i would try raising the ginger population.

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  Cal S. wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 9:47 pm

4. I do not think this violates the rights of someone if you were to take a sample of their DNA. All this would do would tell you who the person was, what they may look like, and any diseases they may have. It may also help you find out about his/her family history, which can logically help you figure things out. However, it does not tell you about their character and would not allow you to judge just by looking at a DNA sample. This test would not be a background check, only a genetic background test. It would not tell you anything about the person’s intelligence, personality, or what they have done in the past.

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  Leah Z. p4 wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 10:08 pm

question 1:

I would keep the the fetus because although the rates for a false positive are very slim i would want to see. I would want to give my child a chance because if on the very low chance they don’t have the disease i would want them to live their lives. And if they did have it they are a human being and have every right to live their lives no matter how different or difficult they may be. I believe they should have the choice and should be given the chance to live a normal life.

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  Alex P. wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 10:13 pm

1. I would go through with the birth. If the test isn’t 100% accurate, and there is a slight chance that the doctor is actually incorrect, you shouldn’t give up on the child.
2. No, I would not hire this person. If they have a 70% chance of developing this disability, and it could affect the performance in their line of work, there is no sense in hiring them.
3. I would allow them to purchase the insurance. Even though this decision could hurt my company financially, the customers well-being is of more importance. Someone who has a chance to get cancer or high blood pressure should not be denied health insurance.
4. Although she has a relationship/ relations with this man, she has no right to do what she has done. This is very similar to performing a background check on the man, and if you woman were to perform this properly, she should have asked for his permission. A DNA scan would not demonstrate much about a person’s personality, however it would tell someone about a person’s physical characteristics.
5. I would never choose to genetically better my child. It takes the challenge out of life. What would life be if you were good at everything you did? You wouldn’t be human. Life would loose it’s purpose. Genetically tweaking a human being is like cheating the system, just leave it the way it is meant to be and everything will work out in the end.

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  ricky w per. 4 wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 10:14 pm

Doing a DNA check on someone you just kissed without his knowledge is a violation of his personal rights. It might be similar to a background check except that is just history of that person. A DNA check tell you who they were, who they are, and who they while be. It is the extra knowledge that makes a DNA check a big deal. Everyone has skeleton it their closet, but with this every aspect of you is given to someone you just met.

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  Stephanie M Period 6 wrote @ March 5, 2009 at 10:17 pm

If I decided to have a child one day, and was presented the opportunity to select special traits I would not. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and each person receives different traits so the world can remain unique. If every parent tried to make their child perfect, everyone would have the same qualities. In the movie, nobody was happy proving that perfection does not cause ultimate happiness. I would want my child to embrace their qualities and make best with what they were given. It would make them a stronger person to overcome conflicts, and would make them happier in the long run. If perfect qualities are given to someone self achievement can not be possessed which is something every person needs to feel in their life. Each person should be able to make themselves what they want inside, and I would want my child to know physical appearance is not the only thing that can make someone happy. That is why I would rather have the genes be random rather than choosing for my child.

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  Molly C. wrote @ March 6, 2009 at 11:20 pm

After watching the movie GATTACA I would decide that I would not follow through with the birth. Although there is a 5-10% the baby will not be diagnosed with Down Syndrome, I would not take the chances. A baby with Down Syndrome is a lot of work, which includes many trips to the hospital for research and tests. I would be afraid that my child would not be able to survive on it’s own in the real world. Although in GATTACA there are many genetic supplements that may cure this disease, we have not come up with the research to do so our selves.

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  Chena F. p6 wrote @ March 9, 2009 at 4:23 am

3. If I was in the situation, where I was representing an insurance company and a woman who had a risk of getting cancer applied for insurance I would definitely not deny her the opportunity to do so. After reviewing the woman’s file and gene scan, and realizing she has a cancer risk, then denying her insurance is being prejudiced. Her condition should not deny her from proper insurance. She hasn’t done anything wrong, and it is not her high cancer risk is not her fault. I also wouldn’t assign her a expensive insurance plan to save my company money. I would give her the plan she wanted.

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  Winona V wrote @ March 9, 2009 at 12:14 pm

During the gala scene one lady takes a sample of saliva from her boyfriend and tests it. This is totally violating his rights, although it seems that it would not be that unusual in the terms of the movie. It’s a bit like a background check, but it’s more personal. Your DNA is something you share with no one else. It’s /yours/, and others shouldn’t be able to manipulate it to their will.

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  Michael S p.6 wrote @ March 11, 2009 at 5:07 pm

5: If i were having a child i would have one under special conception because i would want him/her to be well off in the perfect world. If you took chances with natural birth, there are chances of having problems are more higher than a conceptional birth. i would like to see a natural birth’d child to do well off, but id rather have a regular kid. The natural birth children arent as accepted into socity as normal. They got worse jobs than the conceptional children, and you could pick your childs destiny, like an astronaught or pianist as seen in the movie. Also if you had a natural child before and he/she had some type of problem you wouldnt want to take anymore chances with passed down genes and health problems.

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  mattb wrote @ April 1, 2009 at 3:03 pm

3 i would give her the insurance because high blood pressure can be reduced by relaxation and some forms of cancer can be over come. the reason i would give the polociy to her is because i am not a heartless buisness ceo and in the off chance that the media turned the action of me turning down this person into a front page story it would make my bissneuess look very bad and sales would most likely suffer a great deal.

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