Affirmative—"Human genetic engineering is morally justified""When finally attempted...genetic manipulations...will be done to change a death sentence in a life sentence." Agreeing with this quote from James D. Watson, director of the Human Genome Project, I affirm today's resolution: "Human genetic engineering is morally justified." I will now present some definitions. Human genetic engineering is the alteration, removal, or addition of genes through genetic processes. Moral is "relating to right conduct; ethical." Justified means to be "correct; deserved." Therefore, something that is morally justified is ethically beneficial. My value today will be cost-benefit justice. When we examine the benefits that human genetic engineering offers to society, these benefits will outweigh any costs and the resolution's affirmation will ensure justice. I will now make an observation: the existence of human genetic engineering will not be unlimited. Patrick Ferreira, director of medical genetics at the University of Alabama Hospitals, notes that "a technological imperative [establishes] that the development of extraordinary powers does not automatically authorize their use." In other words, the purpose of technology is to be careful, and as with any technology, a society will be meticulous in its understanding of human genetic engineering. I will now present 3 theses that support my value of cost-benefit justice. CLAIM 1: Human genetic engineering can cure diseases when other methods may not exist. For example, at the Geron Corporation, a biotechnology company in Menlo Park, California, scientists have discovered how to make healthy cells divide indefinitely. Now they are working on a project that will result in... middle of paper... r, human genetic engineering is not unethical; the failure to use such technology is truly what is unfair. Denying resolution means distancing a person from a possible cure, from the possibility of prolonging life. I have demonstrated that human genetic engineering can improve the health of society by both curing disease and prolonging life. Both benefits are worthy goals of any just society. These possible benefits of genetic engineering, those of curing disease and prolonging life, outweigh any possible “side effects” that might occur with the development of any new technology. But we must remember that we must not rush into any new technology; Human genetic engineering will be done carefully, like any other technology, so that we can maximize the benefits of such a great gift to society. For these reasons, I affirm the resolution: "Human genetic engineering is morally justified."