The Soul of a New Eugenics

Summary: Imagine being able to pick your baby's eye color, height, or intelligence. With new genetic tools like CRISPR and embryo testing, this sci-fi idea is becoming real. Some companies even let parents screen out embryos with risks for mental health conditions, like bipolar disorder.

But genes are tricky. Most genes do more than one thing, so trying to "fix" one problem might cause another. For example, editing genes to prevent HIV might make a baby more likely to get the flu. Even an old doctor who believed in getting rid of "flawed" people warned that we need conditions like bipolar disorder because they give us creative thinkers who are "capable of leaping." If we hack away our flaws, we might lose our greatest strengths.

For more details, see rssapp-psychologytoday-com at psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mad-woman-out-of-the-attic/202607/the-soul-of-a-new-eugenics (opens in new tab)