Debate over three-parent embryos and DNA manipulation reveals baseless "bioethics"

USA Today this morning highlights yet another weird ethical issue involving the destruction of living human embryos:

In two days of hearings ending Wednesday, a federal [FDA] committee proved quite skeptical about research that might help some patients birth healthy children — but might also open the door to human gene manipulation. The procedure being considered, called mitochondrial transfer, would mix the genes of two women in hopes of creating a healthy baby.

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Christian Medical Association CEO Dr. David Stevens appeared on the Fox and Friends national news program today to discuss this issue with cohost Elisabeth Hasselbeck and "bioethicist" Dr. Arthur Caplan. Dr. Stevens noted the destruction of human embryos in the proposed procedure and non-destructive alternatives to pursuing the cure. He also highlighted the ethical issue of foisting genetic changes, with unknown consequences, on successive generations.

"Germline manipulation is something that has been prohibited in science all over the world up until the present time," Dr. Stevens noted.

Dr. Caplan replied, "I understand the concern about where we might go. I'm going to worry about that when I get there."

So there you have it--a "bioethicist" says we should ignore ethical concerns and race ahead with whatever. 

Once people abandon the objective, biblical principles (such as "Thou shalt not kill") that have guided civilizations for millennia, there's really nothing left but personal opinion. Whose opinion will prevail? Whoever has power. 

Welcome to the world of social Darwinism.