Abstract
Although genetically modified human beings have been a staple of science fiction for a long time, recent technological developments make human genetic modification plausible. It is true that some genetic modifications such as enhancement of cognitive capacities or of physical appearance are still speculative, but some others such as the modification of the mitochondrial content of the egg in order to avoid certain types of mitochondrial diseases might soon be used in human beings. This entry describes recent advances in genetic engineering technologies that can plausibly be used to genetically modify human beings at the level of the germline. On this note, it presents some of the ethical arguments for and against such genetic modifications.
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Further Readings
Buchanan, A. (2011). Beyond humanity: The ethics of biomedical enhancement. New York: Oxford University Press.
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Savulescu, J., & Bostrom, N. (2009). Human enhancement. New York: Oxford University Press.
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de Melo-Martín, I. (2015). Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Human Beings. In: ten Have, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_210-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_210-1
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