My Genome, My Self free essay sample

This is a new technology and provides many risks if it is made available for public use because of the fact that all the loose ends havent been tied up yet. Pinker analyzes how much our traits and health are dependent on our genetic make-up. Is this information developed enough to use in hospitals, or by anyone else who sees it fit? Pinker believes there is still a long way to go when it comes to Genome research. In My Genome, My Self, Pinker examines what benefits that the study of genomes will actually bring. He questions how much this study will actually help because although it is an interesting issue and tells us alot about our make up, what benefit will that bring for our society? He allows his own genome to be sequenced and published for all to see as part of the Personal Genome Project. Pinker acknowledges that the personal sequence was correct about obvious things about himself but didnt prove so accurate when it came to other aspects of his health. We will write a custom essay sample on My Genome, My Self or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Pinker asserts the idea that genome technology and development is crucial and important for the future and allows us to learn alot about DNA but it doesnt necessarily change anything right now at the state it is in. It could lead to it in the future but as of now the information and usage should be limited to research purposes only. More regulations would be needed as Pinker implies because the information becomes susceptible to abuse from places like insurance companies who can use it to pick and choose the most risk free customers. Throughout the essay, Pinker goes in depth into what a genome sequence can predict and what traits depend mostly on enviroment. He makes it clear that there is a distinction between the two and one shouldnt expect to have or develop every single trait presented by the sequence because there are many other factors which lessen or heighten an individuals chances of having a certain trait. He confirms the idea that most genetic tests only provide a limited amount of information without taking lifestyle and enviromental factors into consideration. Pinker doesnt believe that the Genome testing available now should be used because it mostly tells us things that we could have easily tested in a more simple way. Some things just dont need to be researched so intensely, if you want to know if youre good at math, take a math test. After reading Pinkers essay multiple times and trying to relate it to my own life, I find that I disagree and agree with him on different occasions. While I do agree that this technology is still developing and has not yet reached its full potential, I still think that it should be published for people to see and observe. We can draw our own conclusions to the genome testing done and use them how we please for the time being. As it becomes more sophisticated we will as a result learn more about ourselves and why we have certain traits that others may not possess. And then again, the study provides you with the chances that you will develop a certain trait or characteristic, it doesnt tell you whether or not you will for sure have them. From this I understood that the study will tell you what you are at risk for but fails to tell you how your enviroment and lifestyle affects these risks. Nonetheless, the fact that people will have a better understanding at the diseases and health risks they may have could as a result make them more conscious about the lifestyle decisions they make so that they lead a more healty life. But if we are completely in the dark about these things then we dont really think about them. Out of sight, out of mind if the risk isnt presented to us, we dont really care to make plans to prevent them until we see it having an affect on us. One thing i really agree with Pinker on is his claim about how simple traits and characteristics do not need genetic testing to be seen or proven. If you want to know if someone is flexible, good at math, fast, or has good eye-sight, you can simply test them on that characteristic and see. It doesnt have to be so complicated. Although with improvements in genetic testing I feel that the reason why we are good at certain things, can be explained. Although my opinions on the whole genome issue are debatable I can see where Pinker may have some disagreements. As I have mentioned, I feel like it would be a good idea to publish information about personal genomes and make it accesible to the public. But Pinker believes that it should be restricted information for now and used for research pruposes only. Ofcourse he does allow his own genome to be published with 100,000 others in the Personal Genome Project, he feels it is just so that people can see what the technology can do for now. But he doesnt think the ablility to analyze someones DNA should be given to everyone. Like the early days of the internet, the dawn of personal genomics promises benefits and pitfalls that no one can foresee(137). He thinks that the use of personal genomics will be for things that can be determined without all this technology. He sees people becoming too reliant on the information and not using their own common sense to see what traits they do or dont possess. Also, Pinker doesnt believe that the test is all that accurate because of his own experiences with it. Even though it only presented him with the chances of developing a certain trait, he still believes it was way off in determining his actual risks. In response to Pinkers doubts about genomic testing, I would say that the information we do have now is still very compelling and could be utilized to help individuals in special ways that fit them personally. What is the harm of knowing that you are more at risk for a certain disease, even though you dont have it? The purpose of genome testing is not to only tell you what you are, but also what you could be. I personally know that I would take my lifestyle into account alot more if I knew what I was at risk for more than others. After reading through all of Pinkers essay, I have come to my own conclusion that there are definitely very clear pros and cons of this research. If we knew what we were at risk for, we could take special precautions to avoid those risks. However, I agree with Pinker that this information is not developed enough to be used in hospitals or clinics. In the future it would be an amazing development to see customized medicine for patients based on their genome sequence because there would be no more trial and error when testing out products. We are still years from that but the information available now is still very useful for us to know now. Ofcourse, not to be taken too seriously because genome testing is definitley not the only way to determine what traits we possess. Works Cited DiSalvo, David, Steven Pinker on the Genome and Self Discovery. NeuroNarrative, January 10. 2009. Web. Mary, Genomes Are Us. Personal Genomics. 25 March. 2011. Web Pinker, Steven, My Genome, My Self. New York Times, 7 January. 2009. Web. Science In Society, My Genome, My Self. NorthWestern Unversity, 26 January. 2009. Web