“Scientists could soon be able to routinely screen unborn babies for 3,500 genetic faults.”
This is controversial among patient advocates and some conservatives. If genetic faults are found currently the only solution is abortion. Where do you draw the line between acceptable disability and catastrophic defects? Society has yet to really work out the details. Is it OK to abort a mentally incapacitated child, whose condition would saddle parents with a lifetime of responsibilities? What if your child will be born with mediocre characteristics rather genius-level intelligence or very good looks?
Wow! A psychologist built right into a smart phone! I wonder if this can be clandestinely administered on bystanders? Just imagine standing near someone and saying… “Sir, I’ve been monitoring your conversation. My iPhone app says you are nuts!”
I agree with Brian – I would definitely like to see the studies indicating that 1 in 5 adults have some sort of mental illness before I buy into that.
“Scientists could soon be able to routinely screen unborn babies for 3,500 genetic faults.”
While this scientific discovery is quite outstanding, I think the ethical implications still outweight any potential benefit of using this type of technology – at least until there is an alternative to abortion. I hope this does not become a wide-spread practice until the test serves some other purpose than leading to more abortions.
Because hospitals are labor intensive; nursing care is a cost center not a revenue generator.
“Scientists could soon be able to routinely screen unborn babies for 3,500 genetic faults.”
This is controversial among patient advocates and some conservatives. If genetic faults are found currently the only solution is abortion. Where do you draw the line between acceptable disability and catastrophic defects? Society has yet to really work out the details. Is it OK to abort a mentally incapacitated child, whose condition would saddle parents with a lifetime of responsibilities? What if your child will be born with mediocre characteristics rather genius-level intelligence or very good looks?
Wow! A psychologist built right into a smart phone! I wonder if this can be clandestinely administered on bystanders? Just imagine standing near someone and saying… “Sir, I’ve been monitoring your conversation. My iPhone app says you are nuts!”
Those are very good points and questions, Devon. The abortion aspect of the genetic screening issue is just one facet of a much larger issue.
On the 2nd story, I’m not buying that 1 in 5 have mental illness. Are they counting ADD/ADHD as a mental illness?
I agree with Brian – I would definitely like to see the studies indicating that 1 in 5 adults have some sort of mental illness before I buy into that.
“Scientists could soon be able to routinely screen unborn babies for 3,500 genetic faults.”
While this scientific discovery is quite outstanding, I think the ethical implications still outweight any potential benefit of using this type of technology – at least until there is an alternative to abortion. I hope this does not become a wide-spread practice until the test serves some other purpose than leading to more abortions.