遺伝子工学から四半世紀 : 失ったものはないか

概要

論文の詳細を見る
In spite of severe criticism in the 1970s that genetic engineering was nothing but playing God, research has continued through the 80s and 90s. Gene therapy seems to be the most promising technology to have arisen from this research. It is expected to save many patients who suffer from severe genetic defects. But on the other hand we must keep our eye on the application of gene therapy to enhancement genetic engineering. It is difficult to delineate between therapy and simple wish fulfillment. Infertility is not a disease : women who never experience pregnancy nonetheless lead healthy lives. In some cases reproductive technology has given some people test-tube babies but in others it has driven some women to 'medicating their lives'. To make something possible is not always to gain something. We should be aware of the fact that we may lose as many things as we gain by the intervention of genetic engineering, when a new project is realized. Once a new and narrow goal is set up, there is a tendency for people to feel obliged to attain it. As the adage goes, "first it is illegal, then they make it legal and next they make it compulsory". Contraception, abortion, prenatal diagnosis, and perhaps next divorce have tended to conform to this pattern. We must recognize that to increase physical choice may inadvertently lead to an eclipse of tolerance. Choice is as much psychological as physical. To keep human society tolerant and to leave as much choice as possible are integral to human rights. Tolerance of variety is most important. Paradoxically genetic engineering threatened to reduce social, and other forms of, variety.
日本生命倫理学会の論文
1996-06-30

著者

小川眞里子
三重大学人文学部

遺伝子工学から四半世紀 : 失ったものはないか

スポンサーリンク

概要

著者

関連論文

スポンサーリンク