Abstract

This work addresses some of the major scientific, ethical and socio/political aspects and implications of the molecular biologists' newly acquired ability to manipulate, indeed, literally, to splice together, the material which is responsible for the different forms of life on earth. It attempts to clarify the fundamental scientific and humanitarian questions of the technology of genetic engineering, especially as it might be directly applied to human beings. In so doing, it first seeks to present the status of the technology of human genetic engineering through an analysis of selected experiments. Second, it explores the major philosophical concerns raised by the potential alteration of the human genome. Finally it aims to set these philosophical concerns in a world where social, political, and economic factors may necessitate the modification of philosophical ideas in order to make them relevant to the culture and society in which we live