ext_299122 ([identity profile] montecristo.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] talkpolitics 2011-08-11 08:23 pm (UTC)

Re: What IS this "allow" business? Where do YOU get the authority to forbid?

The real problem is that won't be able to stop genetics from being abused. It may certainly be possible to forbid free people from using genetic technology in ways some politically powerful groups find repugnant but that would take granting immoral, arbitrary authority over human autonomy to representatives of those groups in the name of preventing those unfortunate exercises of human freedom. The problem with this is an old one, summarized as, "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes," or, "Who will guard the guards themselves?" Given the potential absolute power that genetic engineering represents, at least in the minds of people, what will guarantee that the political actors, to whom people give or surrender a monopoly over the power of genetic engineering, do not abuse it for their own interests? There is no guarantee. In fact, history would suggest, in my opinion, that they will inevitably abuse it.

Post a comment in response:

This account has disabled anonymous posting.
(will be screened if not validated)
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting