A Class Discussion on the Moral and Ethical Issues Arising from the New Genetic Technologies

The revolution in genetics that has been underway for the past two decades now has provided scientists with powerful tools for gene sequencing, synthesis and editing, cloning individuals, the creation of new life forms, the potential to eliminate selected organisms from an environment, and even the possibility of reviving species that went extinct thousands of years ago. Our own species is not immune to these technologies which threaten our privacy, security, who we are as individuals, and the traits and capabilities of future generations. The Director of National Intelligence lists gene editing as a national security threat, right up with Kim Jong Un’s nuclear program.

This course will elicit discussion from participants on key questions arising from the application of these technological developments. Each week the leader will introduce a new topic, describe the enabling technologies and pose several questions for discussion the following week. Participants will be expected to spend time between classes to research the moral and ethical issues for discussion in class.

At the end of the course, the pivotal question may well be, “Should society regulate the research and application of the new genetic technologies? And if yes, how and by whom?”