ABSTRACT

As I write this sentence, many people around the world know very little about the genetic enhancement technology that’s on the horizon. Even among those who have read about CRISPR or IVF and PGT, many are skeptical of using it. Some of this reflects an ignorance of genetics, or a legitimate concern that we don’t yet know enough to alter complex traits. But some of it is an unjustifiable bias in favor of the status quo. An analogy can be made with genetically modified food. Some people have expressed legitimate worries about the consequences of genetically modified food for the environment (for example, an increased risk of blight among crops that are too genetically similar). Others wonder whether we know enough about nutrition to ensure that genetically modified foods have all of the nutrients we would get from ‘natural’ crops.