Essay on The Moral Implications of Genetic Engineering

The Moral Implications of Genetic Engineering Buddhisms most prominent aspect of teaching is that one should not harm or kill any living being. Each and every animal possesses Buddha-nature, and has the potential to become a Buddha, that is, to become fully and perfectly enlightened. Among the sentient, there is no superior or inferior class of animal. Human beings are not privileged in the manner that they have the right to decide who is chosen to live, die, be altered, or not be altered. The world was not created specifically for the benefit and pleasure of human beings. Furthermore, in accordance to their karma, a human can be reincarnated as an animal, and an animal can be reincarnated as a human. Each sentient being is†¦show more content†¦Many of the animals used in genetic engineering endure great pain and suffering. These mutations inflicted upon these animals are appalling. The animals often suffer from crippling arthritis, distorted vision, deformities, and physical anomalies of the internal organs. Pro-Geneti c Engineering speakers often contend that animals are of less moral value than humans. This is completely objectified. Both humans and the rest of animals have appreciation for life and have the fear of death. Even when one of the smallest animals, a mosquito flies near a person, the slightest movement of the person sends the mosquito flying away, simply, because the mosquito does not want to die. These animals are literally harvested for the pleasure of the human species. Each day one hundred thousand cattle alone are murdered. This is hard to justify at any level. Pro-Genetic Engineering speakers would condemn the killing of one hundred thousand humans and this in no way different than the slaughter of 100,000 cattle. Not until Pro-Genetic Engineering speakers, endure the suffering they place upon animals can they claim that animals are of less moral value. Secondly, the degradation of the environment is another detrimental effect of genetic engineering. Buddhism opposes any ideo logy and action that adversely effects the environment. Because nature directly affects our bodies and minds,Show MoreRelatedGenetic Engineering : The Field Of Biomedical Research1710 Words   |  7 PagesGenetic engineering is the latest experimental practice used in the world of biomedical research. This practice refers to humans modifying an animals’ genetic component in order to express a particular trait (Dale et al). The scientific community calls the animals produced by this practice as transgenic animals in order to distinguish between its wild type relative. 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