Genome
an organism's complete set of DNA
Genes
the workhorses of cell construction and maintenance and the basic conveyers of inheritance
Chromosomes
residing in the nucleus of the cell, genes are further grouped into chromosomes (46 molecules)
Gene Therapy
(genetic modification) experimental technique for directly changing a person's genes to prevent or treat disease
Genetic Enhancement
genetic intervention to make people better than normal, to maximize human traits and capabilities
Genetic Engineering
direct genetic intervention in an organism's genome to enhance traits and capabilities
Cloning
the production of genetically identical copy of an existing biological entity through an asexual process
Reproductive Cloning
the genetic duplication of a fully developed adult animal or human
Euthanasia
directly or indirectly bringing about the death of another person for that person's sake
Voluntary Euthanasia
euthanasia performed on a person with his or her permission
Advance Directive
a legal document allowing physicians to withhold or withdraw treatments if a patient becomes terminally ill and unable to express his or her wishes
Nonvoluntary Euthanasia
euthanasia performed on a person who is not competent to decide the issue and has left no instructions regarding end of life preferences. In such cases, family or physician usually make decision.
Involuntary Euthanasia
euthanasia performed on a person against his or her wishes
Active Euthanasia
euthanasia performed by taking a direct action to cause someone's death: "mercy killing
Passive Euthanasia
euthanasia performed by withholding or withdrawing measures necessary for sustaining life
Physician-assisted suicide
the killing of a person by the person's own hand with the help of physician
Abolitionists
those who wish to abolish capitol punishment
Retentionists
those who wish to retain the death penalty
Punishment
the deliberate and authorized causing of pain or harm to someone thought to have broken the law
Capitol Punishment
punishment by execution of someone officially judged to have committed a serious, or capitol, crime
Retributivism
the view that offenders deserve to be punished, or "paid back", for their crimes and to be punished in proportion to the severity of their offenses
Cells*
cell mechanisms know what to do because instructions are chemically encoded into each cell's pool of DNA
Gene Therapy*
researchers try to effect changes by replacing a mutated gene with a normal one, supplying a gene that is missing, or inactivating a malfunctioning gene
Controversy over gene therapy*
on a distinction between two kinds of technique- somatic cell and germ line cell (designer babies)
Nonconsequentialist theories for/against gene therapy*
Can prevent diseases or disorders. Also appeal to right of self-determination or autonomy, if parents have a right to decide for themselves whether to produce or not, they surely must also have a right to decide whether to use germ-line therapy to avert d
Genetic engineering against argument*
disrupts the natural, optimum state of humans, and the genetic design given to us by God or evolution. Dehumanizing, turns humans into nonhumans, gene by gene.
SCNT
somatic cell nuclear transfer, the method used to clone mammals. First, the nucleus of an egg is removed, then replaced with the nucleus of a body, electricity/chemicals used to jump-start growth.
Utilitarian and gene therapy*
would approve of gene therapy if its use would result in greater benefits than risks, everyone considered
Utilitarian and genetic enhancement*
would likely approve of genetic enhancement if it yields greater overall happiness
Utilitarian and Deontologists and human reproductive cloning*
currently both are not likely to give approval (risks include genetic defects and early death). Utilitarians would likely approve human cloning if technical problems and safety issues were worked out so that the risks are minimal.
Natural Law Theorists and genetic intervention*
human reproductive cloning would be condemned as unnatural because it breaks the connection between procreation and the sexual act. Therapeutic cloning would be not approved because it entails the destruction of the embryos, which constitutes lack of resp
The Principle of Autonomy
requires that we have the reproductive freedom -the right to produce children or not to produce them.
Opponents of enhancement*
most promising argument against it is an appeal to the principle of justice. Enhancement is unfair because it would give enhanced people an unfair advantage over the enhanced.
Opponents of human cloning*
human cloning should never be done because it's playing God, it's a violation of the principle of justice, or because cloning would be the manufacturing of children, a practice that would undermine respect for persons.
For human cloning*
cloning is permissible because it is in keeping with the principles of autonomy (reproductive liberty) and beneficence, and the enormous benefit to infertile couples.