Genetically Engineered Babies Are Moral Duty, “Ethics” Guru Claims
Professor Julian Savulescu
Prominent so-called “ethicist” and Oxford University Professor Julian Savulescu claims that humanity has a “moral obligation” to genetically engineer children — essentially creating “designer babies” — to make them into better people, sparking an outcry among critics who claim such morally repugnant practices would be akin to playing God. Embryos that do not qualify for life in his view, such as those whose genetic make-up is perceived to indicate potential future “personality flaws,” would presumably be destroyed.
Savulescu wrapped his argument in pseudo-compassionate language, claiming he simply wanted the best for children, parents, society, and the human race. Plus, he argued, some people already screen their future children for diseases before deciding whether or not to abort them, so using DNA and bio-technology to enhance people’s personality traits is not actually a very big leap....