Should we use genetic engineering to improve the human race?

[John Dibble]

Maybe. If we did, it would be best to have it available and affordable to everyone. The playing field between rich, poor, and everyone inbetween is acceptable to me now, because even a rich person can be born dumb and lose his wealth and a poor person can be smart and determined enough to become rich. But if a rich person can be born smarter than everyone else every time then there will be no change, and we'll move back to a version of the nobility and aristocracy. If available to everyone, then the playing field in terms of intelligence and ability is virtually equal, resulting in a society where hard-work and merit are the only major determining factors in your lot in life.

One serious, and very likely, problem that would be a result is a war. It is not unlikely at all that a extreme militant anti-biomodification group would arise - trying to kill off any modified humans they find, blowing up engineering clinics, ect. all in the name of keeping the human race pure. And eventually the modified people will fight back - likely with technology more advanced than the 'naturals' since they'll be more intelligent and thus better able to design such things. If the war didn't go nuclear, it would be a long, bloody struggle for survival that would make the extremist Islamic jihad against the U.S. look like a food fight.

[John Dibble]

Probably not. I support genetic engineering for certain items- to prevent diseases, etc. But to make the kid have red hair and freckle-less? Seems a bit immoral.

Has anyone seen the movie Gattaca? That explains the reason why we shouldn't do genetic engineering very well.

Gattaca also showed the dangers of only a few being able to get engineering. You are right that we shouldn't try to engineer in thing like looks(eye color, hair color, ect.) - just basic enhancements like immune system strengthening, intelligence ehancement, and perhaps physical strength and reflexes.

[John Dibble]

One serious, and very likely, problem that would be a result is a war. It is not unlikely at all that a extreme militant anti-biomodification group would arise - trying to kill off any modified humans they find, blowing up engineering clinics, ect. all in the name of keeping the human race pure. And eventually the modified people will fight back - likely with technology more advanced than the 'naturals' since they'll be more intelligent and thus better able to design such things. If the war didn't go nuclear, it would be a long, bloody struggle for survival that would make the extremist Islamic jihad against the U.S. look like a food fight.

You ever play Deus Ex 2?  Your analysis sounds very similar to the entire plot/theme of that popular game.

Just finished playing it for the second time. I also got it from Gundam Seed, an anime where there is a war between genetically enhanced 'coordinators' and naturals. There's even a radical organization called Blue Cosmos that is dedicated to destroying all coordinators. As I said, radical anti-modification groups would not at all be unlikely. We've seen such radical groups arise over lesser issues.