The Human Genome Project Essay -- Genome Science biology Essays

The Human Genome Project Now more than ever it is not uncommon to hear of scientific barriers being crossed. This is seen through, "a scientific research effort . . . currently under way which is unlike anything ever before attempted. International in its scope, it is enormously expensive and, if successful, could lead to our ultimate control of human disease, aging, and death. It is nothing short of a revolution against the way science has traditionally progressed"1 . This statement of Thomas Lee refers to a massive scientific undertaking known as the human genome project, an endeavor that aims to discover each and every intricacy of human genetics. This mission, which includes the collaboration of scientists world wide, hopes to find ways to improve health care and to increase the knowledge of the human race as a whole. With each discovery that is made through the conquering of this scientific frontier, a myriad of possible benefits emerge. These possible benefits range from new therapies for genetic disea ses, to the possibility of finding cures for the ailments which plague humanity. However, accompanied by these benefits is a wide array of moral dilemmas that emerge when the wonders of this newfound technology collide with religious beliefs and views. In turn, as the tradition of conflicts raging between science and religion have plagued societies throughout history, the echoing of this tradition into modern day is illustrated through the ethical and moral battles which accompany the Human Genome project. As conflicts between religion and science erupt due to great strides and achievements in genetics, the importance of evaluating these conflicts seriously is seen if the possible consequences are kept in mind. In t... ...ork: Plenum, 1991. - Murphy, Timothy. "The Genome Project and the Meaning of Difference." In Justice and the Human Genome Project, edited by Timothy Murphy and Marc Lappe. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1994. - Murphy, Timothy, and Marc Lappe, eds. Justice and the Human Genome Project. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1994. - Shapiro, Robert. The Human Blueprint. New York: St. Martin's, 1991. - Starr, Cecie, and Ralph Taggart. "Recombinant DNA and Genetic Engineering." In Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum, edited by Laurence Behrens and Leonard Rosen. 6th ed. New York: Longman, 1997. - Watson, James. "The Human Genome Project: A Personal View." In Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum, edited by Laurence Behrens and Leonard Rosen. 6th ed. New York: Longman, 1997.