Rodriguez 1

Maximo Rodriguez

Ms. Brooker

Honors British Literature

March 7 2016

Morals and Investigations of Genetically Modified Organisms

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient

Mariner, both manage to create an atmosphere around the Romantic period, making of their

novels quite similar in various outstanding aspects. Both pieces of literature characterized the

Romantic period and describe vividly nature and the outdoors. As well as the role their main

character’s play are similar, whether it is Frankenstein and The Mariner or the albatross and the

creature. Authors which resemble the idea that humans should not go past the bounds they were

set to live within “How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that

man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to be greater than his

nature will allow” (Shelley,31). Making of the both novels to share themes and similar ideals to

why morals are so difficult to discuss now-days, because of the amount of consequences to

possibly encounter. Genetically modified organism’s moral responsibilities and scientific

investigation pose a threat to humanity, because not only do they threat the lives of humanity but

also; changes the morality of society, disrupts the thoughts of humanity, and provokes chaos; this

is why we should implement laws creating limits to GMOs, raising knowledge and awareness of

GMOs, and the care of human health.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, morality is “the degree to which

something is right and good: the moral goodness or badness of something” (“Morality”). Society

regulates many things, because of people’s morality, and shows them what they can and can’t do.
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In this case, Genetically Modified Organisms must be regulated, making laws which would set a

limit and parameter to how far GMOs can go. According to the Library of congress, there are

supposed to be regulations under the U.S. laws that govern health safety and environmental

impacts of conventional foods. Although, there are no kind of special regulations that govern

GMOs, no laws that give scientists limits. Since no regulations are established, “the government

does manage the evaluation of risks and benefits of each new GMO individually through

conventional processes” (The Science of GMOs 101(Penn State Ag Science Magazine), para.19).

Regulatory agencies employ the concept of “substantial equivalence”, which is “the concept that

if a new food or food component is found to be substantially equivalent to an existing food or

food component, it can be treated in the same manner with respect to safety” (The Science of

GMOs 101(Penn State Ag Science Magazine), para.19). Depending on the GM food, e valuation

may fall under regulatory oversight of the FDA, USDA, EPA, or all three. Regulations shall

always inherit God’s will, therefore God gave humans a choice of good or evil. Everything God

created was perfect and his image and therefore shouldn’t be altered, “Let us make mankind in

our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,

over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the

ground.”( Gen 1.26-30). It is critical to understand that GMOs is a bad idea, and there should be

a high understanding of its cautions; they are experiments and every experiment leads to a

consequence. From a moral perspective, the chance of choosing what to consume and do it is

granted to us, but information of the products should be demanded.

When Genetically Modified Organisms are made, their evaluation falls under regulatory

oversight of the FDA, USDA, EPA, or all three; through them knowledge of the GMOs is being

aware of what is done to the product and what was included in them. According to Pamela
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Ronald, without knowledge of the precise function of the genes being moved around, GMOs can

result in new varieties of consequences through a combination of trial and error (Ronald, Para.

8). Such methods include the mixing of genes of species through force, as well as radiation

which can lead to random mutated seeds. Drastic measures should be taken, it is often crude to

find a GMO, which has no information nor label. Raising awareness of what is not good for the

human body is critical, it is to be taken care of and as well, lower its use. Ronald also tends to

reach to the conclusion of “everything we eat is produced from seeds that we have genetically

altered in one way or another” (Ronald, para. 8). Information which is vital and astonishing,

because if everything that we have to produce is genetically altered, then we will never be

healthy both physically and spiritually. When knowledge is acquired, movements take place and

what is morally right as a whole is possible to be implemented. Although, when information that

is wrong is dispersed, many poor decisions are taken and chaos is inflicted. For instance, “many

parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children, invoking a personal-belief exemption to skirt

public school requirements” (Ronald, para. 26); poor decisions are made and needed attributes

for the human body are excluded, creating a worse environment. God sends us to aware others

and show other the correct path, lead them to what is morally right in the eyes of God. We are to

protect our bodies, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,

whom you have from God? You are not your own…” (New International Version, 1 Cor. 6.19).

In accordance to both perspectives, we are to know what malware we are inducing to our bodies;

we have to be given the possibility of gaining the information of anything we are to confront.

The only way we can do what is right in his eyes is by fearing Him, “Do not be wise in your own

eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your

bones” (New International Version, Prov. 3. 7-8).

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Along with the ideal of being well informed about what GMOs are and granting the stats

of products; comes along the well-being of the human body and treating it with love and respect.

The Penn State Ag Science Magazine assures us that Scientists believe GMOs are not bad for our

health, “that’s because no reputable studies have shown any negative health effects of eating

GMOs, at least so far. And scientists around the world continue to look for any evidence of risk

or unintended consequences.” ("The Science of GMOs 101(Penn State Ag Science Magazine)”,

para. 21). Even though, data does exist indicating that the GMO foods may have negative health

effects. “GM seeds do not exist in isolation, but rather are sold alongside pesticides, which they

are designed to resist,” said Mortensen ("The Science of GMOs 101(Penn State Ag Science

Magazine)”, para. 27). Pesticides are said to be resisted to GMOs, but they do not guarantee our

resistance to the pesticides. Enough information is not granted, which invokes the

misunderstanding of GMOs, and makes its pros and cons hazy. The oversight of the FDA,

USDA, and EPA, help the granting of information by evaluating its risks and benefits. Having

this said, every GMO should be individually passed through conventional processes to be

evaluated, which is something that is not being done by the government. God tells us to stay safe

and protect your body; know that your body is the temple and it should only be used to glorify

his name, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health

to your body and nourishment to your bones” (New International Version, Prov. 3. 7-8). God

does not agree with the biological changing of animals, for he designed them perfectly in his

image. Not only are our bodies the creation of God, but they are ours, and protecting them is

what should be done. Both the bible and human’s morals compare the idea that our bodies are a

temple; which should be taken care of. After all, GMOs can either be good or bad, but morally,

we take the initiative by deciding on whether or not consume the food.

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In conclusion, genetically modified organism’s moral responsibilities and scientific

investigation pose a threat to humanity, because not only do they threat the lives of humanity but

also; changes the morality of society, disrupts the thoughts of humanity, and provokes chaos; this

is why we should implement laws creating limits to GMOs, raising knowledge and awareness of

GMOs, and the care of human health. GMOs have been an immense problem, which has been

going on for a long time; it is such an important conflict, because morality is constantly changing

over time. Morals in society change through time, as well as the morality of individuals. When

worldwide conflicts are being addressed and comprehended, they tend to have many possible

ways to be solved. Although not every possible way is going to solve the problem, which is why

everything starts with one small change. Humans have the similarity of not being able to control

knowledge, because it is too dangerous; “How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and

how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires

to be greater than his nature will allow” (Shelley,31). Everything humanity has gone through

after the fall of mankind has been found to be chaotic and horrible. Both humans and animals

encounter all sorts of sickness and injury throughout their lives and can only live so long before

they must face death. Earth is derived with sickness and sin; humans are off the grid without

God. Everything could be possibly solved, only if everyone began to turn towards God, and

become well informed that it is the obstruction of his perfect creation. Even though not much

food can be found on earth, because of the over population in the planet, God would always find

a way to help us out, as long as we stay united and keep fearing Him. After all, through God

anything is possible; nothing is impossible when we have God by our side and we trust in Him,

no matter our circumstances or our situation.

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Works Cited

"Genetically Modified Food and Developing Countries." Moral Issues on GM Food -

Genetically Modified Food and Developing Countries. Google. Web. 27 Feb. 2016.

<https://sites.google.com/site/gmfooddc/moral-issues-on-gm-food>.

New International Version.: Biblica, 2011. BibleGateway.com. Web. 6 Mar. 2016.

"Morality." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moral>.

Ronald, Pamela. "THE TRUTH ABOUT Gmos." Boston Review 38.5 (2013): 16-32. Literary

Reference Center. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

<http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=7&sid=ab7adae4-b349-4c2b-8cb6-

c218e7c32399%40sessionmgr113&hid=109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#db=lfh&AN=90375822>.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein. London: Dover Publications, 1994. Print.

"The Science of GMOs 101(Penn State Ag Science Magazine)." The Science of GMOs (Penn

State Ag Science Magazine). Web. 27 Feb. 2016.

<http://agsci.psu.edu/magazine/articles/2015/spring-summer/the-science-of-gmos>.