genetic enhancement

["RICHARD P.F. HOLT" <holtri@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some people on the list might be interested in a recent article written
by a friend of mine titled "Can Human Genetic Enhancement be Prohibited?"
Following is the abstract of the article. I think it's a very interesting
paper, besides I'm cited in it :-)

"ABSTRACT: This article seeks to reframe the ethical discussion of genetic
enhancement, which is the use of genetic engineering to supply a
characteristic that a parent might want in a child that does not involve
the treatment or prevention of disease. I consider whether it is likely
that enchancement can be successfully prohibited. If genetic enhancement
is feasible, it is likely that there will be demand for it because parents
compete to produce able children and nations compete to accumulate human
capital in skilled workers. If some parents or nations begin using genetic
enhancement, this will change these competitions in ways that increase
the incentives for others to use it. Therefore, a ban on genetic
enchancement would be unstable, because once the ban was breached by
defectors the motivation of others to uphold it would weaken, making
the ban liable to collapse. The argument provides a new perspective
on slippery slopes to dangerous technology."
-William Gardner, "Can Human Genetic Enhancement Be Prohibited?"
_The_Journal_of_Medicine_and_Philosopphy 20:65-84, 1994.

-Ric Holt