Genetic Engineering: A Serious Threat to the Social Imagination...

 

 

Yes, genetic engineering is a serious threat to human society and thus it is a threat to the social imagination. Because, that's where all social reality exists. We live in an information agreement reality; all of which takes place or his 'housed' in the social imagination, the collective conscious. Here is a cut and paste article that is a must read in order to realize this serious threat.

Genetic Engineering: A Serious Threat to Human Society...

By Zachary Rom | Considering Another Side Essays 

Scientists have been trying to create synthetic life, life created in lab, for many years. The first breakthrough in this process happened about thirty years ago when genetic engineers began to genetically modify organisms (Savulescu). These engineers physically move genes across species in order to improve an organism or to cause an organism to function differently.  

Even though this process sounds as if it happens only in fantasy games, genetically modified organisms are common. For example, genetically modified crops are used every day in the world’s food supply and genetically modified bacteria have been used in medicine, chemical manufacturing, and bio warfare (Pickrell). 

Slowly, genetic engineering has become a powerful tool in many different fields. Recently, genetic engineering’s potential power increased when Craig Venter, a famous geneticist and entrepreneurs, recreated a living organism out of synthetic chemicals. His success proved to genetic engineers that functioning genomes can be made purely of synthetic chemicals.  

This power would allow genetic engineers to build new artificial genomes instead of having to modify naturally existing genomes. Genetic engineers now have the chance to broaden their fields’ applications. However, genetic engineering is unpredictable and dangerous, and broadening the application of genetic engineering only furthers the risks. 

Genetically engineered organisms pose lethal and economic risks to human society.The availability of genomic information and genetic engineering technology creates a lethal threat to humanity because terrorists can use both the information and technology to recreate deadly pathogens, such as the poliovirus. 

The naturally occurring poliovirus killed and paralyzed millions of people for many years. In 1988, a worldwide vaccination campaign against the virus nearly exterminated it from the environment, and this solved the poliovirus epidemic. 

However, in 2002, well intentioned scientists decided to recreate the poliovirus for research means. Using the genomic sequence of the poliovirus found on a public database and commercially available machines, these scientists synthesized fragments of viral genomes into a functional poliovirus (Avise 7). 

These scientists proved that deadly pathogens can be recreated from genetic engineering techniques. Also, the information and technology used in genetic engineering is readily available and relativity cheap (Kuzma and Tanji 3). Mixing the power to recreate a deadly pathogen with the public availability of genetic engineering information and technology creates a lethal risk to humanity when terrorist exist in society. 

Terrorist could use genetic engineering to reinstate the poliovirus into the environment, and the virus would kill and paralyze more people. Luckily, these scientists were filled with good intent; however, there is nothing to prevent terrorists from harming innocent lives. 

Recreating deadly pathogens makes genetic engineering dangerous enough; however, genetic engineers also have the potential to improve the effectiveness of deadly pathogens, such as Y. pestis. 

Genetic engineers can make deadly pathogens, such as Y. pestis, resistant to modern antibiotics, and these pathogens could kill innocent people if used as a weapon. Y. pestis, also known as the black plague, wreaked havoc on humanity during the Middle Ages by killing millions of people. 

In response to a Y. pestis threat during the 20th century, scientists developed an effective vaccine for the pathogen. However, genetic engineers at Biopreparat, a Russian biological warfare agency, engineered a new Y. pestis strain with genetic resistance to modern antibiotics and natural human immunity (Avise 6). 

The genetically engineered Y. pestis was more deadly and effective than the natural Y. pestis that killed millions of people during the Middle Ages. Biopreparat’s research proved that deadly pathogens can be genetically engineered into superior forms that are resistant to modern medicine. If this strain of Y. pestis was released, a black plague would devastate current human society. 

Militaries could use the same genetic engineering techniques that Biopreparat used to create deadly biological weapons. With this ability to make deadly pathogens resistant to modern medicine, genetically engineered organisms become lethal weapons that cannot be stopped. Other than lethal weapons, genetically engineered organisms can produce lethal chemical compounds when they are used as a manufacturing tool in the chemical industry...

Genetic engineers possess the ability to create anti-material organisms that can degrade infrastructure and man-made materials, and malicious people can use these organisms to tear down society’s infrastructures and economies. In nature, there are many organisms with the ability to degrade infrastructure and man-made materials. 

These microbes cost governments and industries millions of dollars in biodeterioration and biodegradation damages. For instance, bacteria are the leading cause of road and runway deterioration. In Houston, Texas, microbes have been known to degrade the concrete in the city’s sewage systems, and the city has spent millions of dollars trying to contain the problem. 

High-tech companies, such as airlines and fuel companies, constantly have their facilities and machinery being degraded away by anti-material organisms...

Genetically modified crops will negatively impact the economy and environment because engineered genetic resistance is ineffective at stopping natural parasites in the long term. Farmers use genetically modified crops because these crops contain a genetic resistance to parasites, such as insect pests and microbes. 

In evolution, two organisms that are in a parasitic relationship evolve in a balance with each other. When genetically modified plants are placed into a natural environment, parasites will evolve in a direction that allows them to bypass the genetic resistance engineered into the crops.

And, the essay goes on... 

This kind of genetic engineering is a serious threat to the social imagination... our humanity is housed in that agreement social reality. Degrade that and we become all but human.

God created man in His image... do not be deceived! Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength ~ Mark 12:30.

ONLINE SOURCE ~ https://english.umd.edu/research-innovation/journals/interpolations/interpolations-spring-2011/genetic-engineering-serious#:~:text=Genetically%20engineered%20organisms%20pose%20an,to%20kill%20millions%20of%20people.