Defending Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is something that allows humans to manipulate the environment in order to benefit themselves. Although it has its fault, genetic engineering can also be looked at as a good thing. With the advancements of genetic engineering, humans can organize, simplify, and control the ever complex ways of nature. It allows humans to experiment with genes in order to create new species which may have not been otherwise created (this means more variety of sustenance). In the reading, Pollan states that genetic engineering allows farmers to produce a mass quantity of food. However, he also goes on to say how the production of such a large amount of produce is impossible with out the harmful “inputs” that go along with genetic engineering. Still, since genetic engineering has become such a huge and influential industry, it has begun steps toward redeeming itself. “Genetic engineering promises to replace expensive and toxic chemicals with expensive but apparently benign genetic information…” (191). This means that through genetic engineering, there comes a sort of revolution where produce such as the NewLeaf potato can protect itself from insects and diseases, which means more food that is supposedly safe to eat. Moreover, genetic engineering can be looked at as a way to test methods of reliable yet safe new sources of food and food production.