Mapping the Human Genome

The mapping of the genetic structure of human beings is one of the most ambitious attempts by Western scientists to understand life. Advances in technology have made it possible to manipulate biological structures and have been beneficial in the fight against such diseases as Huntington's and Parkinson's. Advances in gene technology also raise the possibility of redesigning ourselves and our children. In Mapping the Human Genome Theodore C. Kent examines this new field of genetic engineering and addresses the troubling questions about nature and the morality that it brings. Kent warns that while gene technology offers terrific opportunities, it also raises questions that science cannot and should not answer alone. Kent explores the moral and ethical dilemmas we face as it becomes possible to change ourselves and our children. This book looks at the future of humankind and examines aspects of reality and morality, the human genome, and human potentiality. Kent provides a new way of looking at the world and meeting the challenges of the coming Age of the Genome.