This map (left) shows the states with legalized eugenic sterilization. This class discussion about eugenics really stood out to me during the quarter, because I never knew how widespread it was before the Hitler regime. This class has impacted my understanding of bioethics and all of the hard questions that we must answer in order to better the world with science, not make it more divided. A lot of these questions surround CRISPR-Cas 9, a technology that could genetically engineer or modify humans. This technology could be used for good (like curing a genetic disease), or it could be used for other things (such as eugenics), so people are questioning how much of this technology should be made available. The class discussions about these hard questions is why I love this class, and have made me really want to pursue a minor in BioEthics at the UW.
|