Deciphering The Code Of Life

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorUniversity, Bachelor's February 2008

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Deciphering the Code of Life In a late article written in December 1999, a series of questions are answered in which some individuals may inquire about concerning The Human Genome Project (HGP). HGP's main purpose is to map every gene in the 'thread of life'. DNA affects just about all branches of Biology, and sequencing the human genome will answer many important questions, such as how to treat a wide range of medical disorders. Furthermore, the authors conclude that once the humane genome has completely been deciphered, scientists will be capable of comparing the information produced by the project to other species, yielding a better understanding of how life on earth has evolved.

This article suggests that altering genes will not entirely have a negative effect on society. Its positive side includes deleting 'bad' genes in order to eliminate illnesses and diseases. Also it helps individuals learn more about DNA structure and how to identify 'problem genes'.

The negative side raises up certain ethical issues such as, 'Do we possess the right to play God?' and 'How will individuals, families and society respond about their genetic heritage?" This article helped me realize that the science field is indeed an on going and rapidly increasing domain. Although I am for genetic engineering, ethical issues are still a main importance throughout this field of study. One question that constantly comes to mind is, "Are we doomed if we try to play God and tamper with mother-nature?" This isn't the first time I come across Scientific American, I have read numerous articles based on genomes and genetically inherited diseases. Scientific American is the magazine in which my article was extracted from. This article was written by Francis S. Collins and Karin G. Jegalian. I found the article quite appealing since this subject...