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Would you use genetic editing to prevent a hereditary disease in your future child, knowing it sets a precedent for altering human traits and could widen social divides?
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Why this dilemma matters
Technology rarely asks for permission once it works, so the ethics has to land before deployment. Choosing “Edit the genes to protect your child from suffering and ensure their survival” prioritises the capability it unlocks; choosing “Refuse genetic modification to uphold natural human diversity and avoid reinforcing inequality” gives more weight to the agency it costs.
Worth asking yourself
- Who benefits from this, and who absorbs the risk?
- Could you reverse the choice if it backfired?
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