Genetic Engineering: Overview

I decided to research genetic engineering for the Marketplace of Ideas project. I am not entirely sure of where I stand on the issue, so I want to get a better understanding of its multiple perspectives. When I first came across this topic, I really only saw one side of the controversy. GE clearly affects the natural properties of plants, food, and animals. I could not see how it could be considered a positive contribution to society-- it brought on so many issues. Another problem I saw in it was the fact that one day, it will be possible for parents to selective certain traits and characteristics for their children to have. What would the world be like if parents were making their kids incredibly tall or specifically with brown eyes. There is definitely an ethical dilemma here. But, what I did not realize before, is that there are many positive components to GE. Simply by reading the short page that gives an overview of GE on the website, Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society, I was able to broaden my knowledge on the subject. Where there is a moral reason not to use GE, there is also a moral reason to use it. According to the World Health Organization, for example, 250,000 to 500,000 children in developing countries go blind every year because their diet lacks sufficient levels of vitamin A. But, scientists can genetically engineer plants or rice, for example, to give these children the nutrients they need to survive. The moral dilemma is simple: If you genetically engineer something, you remove the naturalness of a process. But if you do not genetically engineer that something, you would be withholding useful produce from people who would desperately benefit from it. Genetic engineering is a complex issue that is becoming more and more pressing with the advancement of technology and desperation for resources. I look forward to pursuing this issue.

What's Going On In The World?

One of the most prominent issues in the world today is the revolt that is going on in Libya. I read a couple articles and blogs on The New York Times's website about the situation. It seems like Africa has always had the reputation of being poor and underdeveloped, but its problems have also seemed to be out of our hands. For example, how can you really eliminate poverty even in one African country? The protests in Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries appeared to give Libyan citizens the courage to stand up to their government. But, Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi is firmly holding his ground. Ruling for longer than Egyptians former president, Mubarak, Qaddafi is an unpredictable and harsh ruler. He has no problem commencing a civil war in his country. So, what should the U.S. do? One point of view is that America needs to intervene by supplying Libya's rebel army. Some believe we should pressure other countries to intervene but watch from afar. Others think that by getting involved yet again in a foreign affair, we could end up in another undesirable situation like Afghanistan. I am under the impression that if we do not intervene, we are not only disregarding an opportunity to promote democracy, but we are also letting Gaddafi's troops kill innocent civilians. He has proved to be a relentless and very unreasonable leader. I don't think that just giving the Libyan rebels arms is enough, though. I believe we need to direct Libyans to the most efficient way to remove Gaddafi from power. I think the advantages of intervening outweigh the disadvantages.