Germline Engineering: Whose Right?

Professor Cohen presents and analyzes a taxonomy of the potential harms of human genetic “germline engineering.” Germline engineering is the process of “artificially” and purposefully changing the genes of an organism such that when it procreates the changes replicate themselves in the next generation and--subject to the laws of genetics—in all future generations. His ultimate argument flows from the outcome of the analysis of the various potential harms alleged to flow from germline engineering. While he finds that there may be minor categories that are problematic, these are no more than quirky--almost bizarre--exceptions to the central case, that is, that germline intervention will yield an enormous improvement in the human lot. Those exceptional instances in which one could imagine germline intervention resulting in harm to the human condition or prospect neither require nor justify any significant restraint or prohibition of germline intervention in general.