Intervening in Human Genes - Or Not? A Bioethical Issue on the Border with Science Fiction

Review article

Abstract

This article will try to illustrate and discuss the bioethical problem of genetic engineering. Science fiction movies were used to open the discussion on the ethical and bioethical levels. Namely, with the project, Human Genome, reading and editing genetic maps became possible. This discovery enhanced our fantasies about curing any disease, but it has also shown our fears—the fear of misusing this discovery or using it for eugenical purposes. Suppose eugenics would become the real future of this discovery, then it could bring us inevitable problems that we need to anticipate from now and try to discuss them. We use movies to show the possible following times. Some of the well-known bioethicists emphasize the need to investigate the upcoming. They consider that we have to create regulations for using gene editing discovery before things go out of control. According to them, we need to prevent forthcoming events we might not be able to control.