Starting from a debate about to what extend we should use technology to correct genetics illness and enhance human race, Father Joseph Tham, Fellow of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights, will give a talk on new technologies and on how these may affect a new strong, healthier, and smarter offspring from an ethical perspective.
After the Human Genome Project, the field of genetics had laid dormant until recently. First there was the discovery of the field of epigenetics and environment’s impact on genes inheritance. The more surprising advance of CRISPR technology allows scientists and amateurs to edit the DNA of plants, animals and humans. There is a heated debate about whether we should use this technology not only to correct genetic illnesses, but also to enhance the human race. We are on the verge of creating superior offspring who would be healthier, smarter, and stronger. Could such technology change human nature in a radical and possibly disastrous way? The conference will look at the state of the technology and offer some ethical reflections on its use.