Course of Human Evolution Could Change With Gene Editing Technology

Author: Issues in Science and Technology
Published: 2016/04/07 - Updated: 2023/06/28
Publication Type: Observational Study
Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Topic: Medical Research News - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: New gene-editing technology could eliminate some inherited diseases but also change the course of human evolution.

Judith Benz-Schwarzburg and Arianna Ferrari point out that genetically modifying farm animals raises complex ethical questions about animal welfare.

Just as advances in biotechnology have profound social implications, information technology developments affect many aspects of social and economic relations.

Introduction

The recently developed gene-editing technology known as CRISPR/Cas has created opportunities for valuable medical treatments for hereditary diseases but also raised fears about possible misuse or unintended effects.

Main Item

Issues in Science and Technology

The Spring 2016 Issues in Science and Technology includes four articles by experts on the implications of this powerful new tool.

Whereas all of the above articles argue for a go-slow, deliberative approach to this new technology, Henry Miller of Stanford's Hoover Institution warns against a proposed moratorium on clinical applications of gene editing. He argues that such a proposal reveals ignorance about how innovation works and ignores the human suffering that could be alleviated with genetic treatment.

New genetic techniques can also be applied to other species; Judith Benz-Schwarzburg and Arianna Ferrari point out that genetically modifying farm animals raises complex ethical questions about animal welfare.

Just as advances in biotechnology have profound social implications, information technology developments affect many aspects of social and economic relations. Martin Kenney and John Zysman of the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy look at how the application of big data, new algorithms, and cloud computing will change the nature of work and the structure of the economy in what they call "The Rise of the Platform Economy." They explain how the exact nature of that change will be determined by the social, political, and business choices we make.

George Washington University sociologist Amitai Etzioni steps back to look at the big picture of how society manages new developments in science and technology. He argues that we should harness new capabilities in ways that cultivate social and moral progress.

Issues in Science and Technology is the award-winning journal of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Arizona State University.

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Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Issues in Science and Technology and published on 2016/04/07, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Issues in Science and Technology can be contacted at issues.org NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Cite This Page (APA): Issues in Science and Technology. (2016, April 7 - Last revised: 2023, June 28). Course of Human Evolution Could Change With Gene Editing Technology. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved February 14, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/news/research/crispr-cas.php

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