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fandomhigh2008-02-05 11:00 pm
last-mizrahi.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2008-02-05 11:00 pm
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Ye Shall Be As Gods? – Class 5, Period 3
She sat behind her desk, legs neatly crossed, looking thoughtful and slightly distant as she waited for her class to gather. When they had, Juli leaned forward and began her planned lesson. If they weren’t ready to listen to her, well… that was rather unfortunate for them. She was ready to speak.
“Last week,” she said, glancing briefly at all of her students one-by-one, “we discussed the terminology of referring to those who have been altered on a genetic level. Unsurprisingly, some terms were deemed more offensive than others. Today, we will be carrying on with the topic of human modification.”
“This time though, we’re not talking about the language.” Juli stood up, and moved to lean against the front of her desk. “This time we’re talking about the purposes of human modification. What do you think the most prevalent purpose of it is? Something as simple as giving the parents precise control over what their child will look like, perhaps? Making sure that their children are born healthy? Or more complex than that say… governments designing their own living weapons? Perhaps merely the need of society on a whole to see just how far they can push the boundaries of science. Altering people simply because they can.”
She looked thoughtful. “All of these reasons have been used before, in various incarnations, in different times. Are any of them correct?” A faint smile flitted across her face. “That is, I believe, something that must be decided on an individual basis.”
“What do you think is the most common reason? Is it one that you, personally, can agree with? If not, why? Can you back your opinion with a reason, or is it just a gut feeling that leads you to think as you do?”
“After that I give the floor to you, my students, for open discussion of the various reasons—valid or not, in your opinion—that people might have for advocating the continuance of human modification.”
“Please,” she said, again with a small smile, “at least try to respect each other’s opinions even if you cannot agree with them.”
[Please wait for the OCD up! Have at it!]
“Last week,” she said, glancing briefly at all of her students one-by-one, “we discussed the terminology of referring to those who have been altered on a genetic level. Unsurprisingly, some terms were deemed more offensive than others. Today, we will be carrying on with the topic of human modification.”
“This time though, we’re not talking about the language.” Juli stood up, and moved to lean against the front of her desk. “This time we’re talking about the purposes of human modification. What do you think the most prevalent purpose of it is? Something as simple as giving the parents precise control over what their child will look like, perhaps? Making sure that their children are born healthy? Or more complex than that say… governments designing their own living weapons? Perhaps merely the need of society on a whole to see just how far they can push the boundaries of science. Altering people simply because they can.”
She looked thoughtful. “All of these reasons have been used before, in various incarnations, in different times. Are any of them correct?” A faint smile flitted across her face. “That is, I believe, something that must be decided on an individual basis.”
“What do you think is the most common reason? Is it one that you, personally, can agree with? If not, why? Can you back your opinion with a reason, or is it just a gut feeling that leads you to think as you do?”
“After that I give the floor to you, my students, for open discussion of the various reasons—valid or not, in your opinion—that people might have for advocating the continuance of human modification.”
“Please,” she said, again with a small smile, “at least try to respect each other’s opinions even if you cannot agree with them.”
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