A geneticist was a guest on the radio this morning. She described the outcome of her research: that genetics can be used to assess and map any person’s abilities and talents and aptitudes. This information will then be used as a means of prescribing the course of education to be received by every child.
In the tradition of Blade Runner: “Special police squads - BLADE RUNNER UNITS - had orders to shoot to kill, upon detection, any trespassing Replicant. This was not called execution. It was called retirement.”……………….
…………this genetic innovation is not described as taking control of and micro-managing a child’s life and future; it is described as providing a child with a bespoke education.
Like most science and medicine it is a two edged sword. It can be either good or bad. It can create vast amounts of drones or superior humanity. Kind of makes you wish you were the one holding the reigns or you could run the other way fast.
I would use it to eliminate health issues. Not modify traits or abilities. Its just a guess but, if folks can choose a career path for their kid or how the kid will look, it will end up so wrong.
I was actually thinking about health issues that destroy lives that make a person hospitalized more than being independent.
I do think that people should be licensed to be parents.
I don’t think geneticists can actually determine what a person’s aptitudes are based on DNA other than in broad categories which would be less rigid, and harder to define than some ones we might ascertain from tests that already exist in psychology.
Most of what “genetic researchers” say is speculation. It’s a sales pitch for grant money.
