Metzl first became interested in bioengineering over a decade ago, after he served on the National Security Council during the Clinton administration. Metzl’s NSC boss, Richard Clarke, had been obsessed with issues of terrorism and cybercrime at that time, but was only seen as a visionary years later following the 9/11 attacks. When Metzl left the White House, he started thinking more about the critical issues that, such as terrorism before 9/11, the country was failing to appreciate. The genetics and biotechnology revolutions quickly rose to the top of his list. After developing strong ideas for what needed to be done to prevent a global genetic arms race, he started writing articles on the subject for various policy and foreign affairs journals. In 2008, he was called as the lead witness in a congressional hearing on human genetic modification technologies. “Today, the speed of change in genetic science is phenomenal,” Metzl said. “When I first started thinking about this 10 years ago, I made logical inferences on where the technology would go and what it would mean. The actual technology has progressed even faster than I’d imagined. Right now, we have the technology to rewrite the genetic code of human beings if we choose to do so. People within and between societies think differently about how much can or should be done to alter what they perceive as being ‘natural,’” Metzl said. Metzl draws a parallel with the divisive nature of the global fight over genetically modified crops. If people are going nuts over GM crops, then how will they feel about GM humans? “Genetic engineering… will make forms of genetically modified people… that some people will very likely be uncomfortable with, and raise critical questions related to equity, diversity and the role of humans in altering our basic code of life [and the] revolution has already begun,” Metzl said. (READ MORE)
Credit to Skywatchtv.com
No comments:
Post a Comment