Genetic engineering raises complex ethical issues. While it can increase crop yields and benefit agriculture to feed a growing population, it may also have unintended consequences on the environment and ecosystems. In medicine, genetic engineering offers hope for creating organs for transplant patients but raises concerns about affordability, patient consent, and potential misuse. Politically, it may create new jobs but also risks misapplication for profit over welfare. Overall, genetic engineering presents both opportunities and risks that require ongoing research, oversight, and debate to ensure it is applied responsibly and for the benefit of humanity.

1. Battle of the Present
TEAM INTELLIGENTSIA

2. Is genetic engineering ethical?
Our response/ we think:
YES &
NO

3. Introduction
What is Genetic Engineering?
Genetic Engineering involves the modification of a gene characteristic in a plant or animal.
Numerous genetically modified organisms include crops, rice, maize, apples, tomatoes,
potatoes & oils.
Pros vs Cons
There is a fine line between right and wrong.
Pros: Assist in providing for a growing population, saving lives & increasing
employment opportunities.
Cons: do not clearly know the boundary and when to stop.
-need more time, more cost and research (to improve or solve problems that arise)
-could lead to even more problems due to lack of information & technology.

4. AGRICULTURE
Optimise efficiency and productivity
1. Responding to the need of growing population by modifying crops to produce
crops that are
-Resistant to extreme weather Eg: hail storms, droughts, floods
-Pests resistant
leads to
-Higher crop yields
2. Beneficial to the environment by eliminating the use of hazardous pesticides
3. Better flavour & nutritious.
More vitamins + longer shelf life = more health benefits
4. Reduce wastage due to removal of undesirable characteristics

5. AGRICULTURE
Unpredictable Consequences/Cascade of events (affect future
generations)
Eg: Disruption of nature (ecosystem)
1. Different selective pressure (disadvantage to unmodified crops) LEADS TO..
-Unmodified crops die
-Humans run out of resources
Eg. Crop type A is modified to be resistant to pests with intention of increase
crop yield.
Unforeseen result is harmful to crop B => Crop B cannot adapt to quick change.
2. Constant & never ending research and improvement needed to combat more
problems that arise
Eg. Growing population, more resistant pests.

6. MEDICAL
Making organs for people who are in need
Emergency Case #1: No organ matches available, but someone is in need of a kidney
Solution: Genetic modified kidney! Donation not needed
Added plus: Specially made organs
(patient’s own cells are used to grow the organ)
Benefits:Less chance of organ transplant rejection

7. MEDICAL
Creating a new organ = not so easy
Need permission from patients. What if they are unconscious or in a coma?
No permission = No organ.
Extra time + increased resources + expensive = Genetic engineering limited to patients who can afford it.

8. POLITICAL
Increase employment opportunities & economy
New companies created + more research project= more jobs
Students who’ve worked hard in their degrees during uni will be able to put
their hard work to good use (i.e. employed)

9. POLITICAL
Misuse for personal benefits
Organisations misusing technology to make money
and not considering the client’s needs
Need new laws to control who has access to
technology
To ensure that it is used for the right reasons

10. Is genetic engineering ethical?
YES &
NO
Hard to say…
1. Agriculture ✔ ✘
2. Medical ✔ ✘
3.Political ✔✘

11. 1. Our most challenging part of this battle was trying to find a suitable time for every single team member to meet up especially when one of the
member is at a different campus. Although the six of us were not able to gather at the same time, we managed to get our task done by breaking
down the challenge to smaller parts, each completing a different task, using good online communication platform like Facebook and google doc,
and being proactive. Furthermore, we allocated the parts to individuals or pairs within the group according to our expertise and passion so that
we enjoyed what we worked on. We then successfully consolidate the segments to produce our final product.
2. The different roles that existed within the team were the team leader, the “ideas-master” and the “finalist”. The team leader, having good
management skills and communication skills played an important role in organising meeting times and meeting dead lines. The “ideas-master” were
people who came up with the discussion points, evidence and examples in our discussion. Naturally, those of us who were passionate about the
topic and have an interest in researching were part of this. Finally, the “finalist” were people who were more interested in making the project attractive
and interesting consists of the rest who were more artistic than the others.
3. I have learn that working in a team is a very vital process when it comes to brainstorming ideas and suggestions for a specific topic. It is amazing
how everyone has different ideas. However, at times even with the same idea, many other suggestions and solutions that were made were
absolutely different. It is important to work as a team as everyone viewed things from different angles, allowing us to further our research on the
selected topic. Although at times there were disagreements in the team on the topic that should be chosen, we were able to sort the conflict out by
having everyone brainstorm together as a team on all the topics interested and pick the one which produced the most ideas.
Teamwork Questions