Customer Reviews

Remaking Eden: How Genetic Engineering and Cloning Will Transform the American Family (Ecco)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this book expecting an opinionated book on biotechnology, not sure what stance the author took. Quickly I realized he took the stance of a respectable scientist.What truly made this book great was that he educated people. Usually education will take away the majority of controversy on any subject. Silver clearly demystifies genetic engineering and shows how future situations will become an everyday part of our lives. Topics ranging from how the controversy of abortion is affected by the fact that 75 percent of all fertilized eggs will never be born, to how sensations of pain and thought don't occur because formation on the majority of synapses don't occur until the 25th week. His thorough explanations of how even a clone will be no different then any other person with its own thoughts and opinions, raised in a kind and loving family. Silver clears up misconceptions in science and society. His hypothetical situations gives this science book more pizazz and an insight into the future.

I found this book to be highly original and very informative. In this book, Lee M. Silver recounts the history (both scientific and social) of reproductive technologies, relating specific cases, speculations, and ramifications. He goes beyond to explain possible technologies that are not yet available, and why these might be important. Such real and imagined technologies include having more than two parents, cloning, and genetic engineering. He goes on to show how a child might have three mothers (genetic, birth, and social) and two fathers (genetic and social), how a child could have more than one genetic mother, how and why someone might want to clone themselves, how genetic engineering might impact future generations or our species as a whole, and other possibilities.

My only qualm with the book was that it seemed somewhat biased in certain respects. He goes on giving scenarios that might occur in which a certain reproductive technology is of some aid. However, I do not think he goes in as much depth when it comes to scenarios in which these technologies will be of great harm.

Overall, I would recommend this book. The author has a lot of interesting and innovating things to say, and one does not need more previous knowledge of biology than is offered in a high school bio course.

With the announcement today of the completion of mapping of the human genome, this book takes on particular importance. The book was published in 1997, and as further evidence of the technological hyperdrive of the 21st century and the incredible advances in sequencing technology since 1997, the author predicts on page 244 that the Human Genome Project would take 23 more years, and be completed by 2020!

The book is excellent, for the author gives brilliant arguments both supporting genetic technologies and countering many that don't. In addition, the author discusses possibilities in reproductive technologies that may be unknown to a reader, like myself, who is not an expert in embryology. For example, he discusses the occurrence (although rare) of natural-born chimeric human beings, who arose from the fusion of two embryos that resulted from the fertilization of two eggs that had been ovulated simultaneously by their mother. Another example discussed is the possibility of a fertilized egg winding up in the peritoneal cavity (in the abdomen essentially). This example was discussed in the context of whether indeed a man could carry a pregnancy.

Some of the other interesting arguments and discussions in the book include: 1. When addressing the assertion that it is unfair for only the wealthy to take advantage of genetic technologies for enhancing their progeny, the author agrees that it is, but he then states correctly that a society that accepts the right of wealthy parents to provide their children with a top-notch private education cannot use "unfairness" as a reason for denying the use of genetic technologies. 2. His discussion of the status of the embryo as human life, which he argues, brilliantly, is not. "If a human life can begin in the absence of conception" he says, "then it is scientifically invalid to say that conception must mark the beginning of each human life. It is as simple as that". 3. The discussion of the history of in vitro fertilization, the ethical issues surrounding it, and the technologies needed to bring it about. The author regards IVF as a pivotal point in history, in which humans took charge of their reproductive destiny. 4. The discussion of cloning, elaborating naturally on the cloning of Dolly the sheep. He states that the cloning of Dolly "broke the technological barrier" and that there is "no reason to expect that the technology couldn't be transferred to human cells." Recent experiments in the last few months however have cast doubt on the ability to do cloning of primates, and so human cloning could therefore be problematic. The author though counters very successfully the arguments against the practice of human cloning.

The author has a refreshing optimism throughout the book, and he remains confident in the human ability to both understand the world and change it with proven and safe technologies. In light of the completion of the mapping of the human genome, his optimism is certainly justified. The technologies discussed in this book, coupled with the information obtained from the complete human genome, promise an incredibly interesting future for biology. Both the author and the individuals behind the human genome project are excellent examples of the ingenuity and mental discipline of the human species.

I read the hardcover version when it came out and have been disturbed by it ever since. I am not a religious zealot and believe, or rather hope, that I'm not narrow minded. (I believe in evolution, I have a Ph.D. in engineering, etc.) But while reading the book, I sometimes gazed at the photo of the author on the dust jacket and saw a man in the prime of life, talented in every way, successful in every way, honored academically and professionally ... and he describes in his book how he wants, expects, to play God. I recommend the book highly because it made me think and it has stayed with me ever since. Still, I am frankly frightened by his vision. He and his research can do so much good, let's hope that he knows the difference between good and evil. Strong and melodramatic words on my part, by they're heartfelt. In any event, read the book.

This book is an excellent read for anyone with an interest in reproductive technologies. I submit that it is important for everyone as the issues in the book are rapidly becoming less science-fiction and more reality. Cloning and genetic selection are especially important. Both positive and negative scenarios resulting from the use of these and other technologies are presented. They may seem far-fetched at times but nonetheless possible.
I had the privilege of taking Prof. Silver's class at Princeton and listen to him lecture on this book and others on the subject, and I am so glad that I did.
Right now most people are terrified of the unknown future of cloning, genetic engineering, and other technologies. Please, read this book before making up your mind!
The best part about this book is that it does not get too bogged down in technical details. A non-scientist can read it and understand, but someone who knows more about the scientific aspects can still learn from it. There's something for everyone!

I highly recommend this book. It is at once provocative and well-written. Anyone with curiosity about, and concern for, our future as a species needs to become familiar with the exciting and disturbing possibilities this book presents.

For those with no previous interest in genetic engineering, this book may provide some insight. However, it's self promoting and has little in the way of new or unique information.

I find it very interesting reading. Lee Silver brought the complexities of the reprogentic labs to the grasp of the layman. It projects into the future of reproduction and it looks like the American society one day will finally come to accept cloning as an option, though expensive.

I found this book exceptionally delightful. The author's views are extremely solid and he does not, through out the course of the book, waver in his judgment. I especially enjoyed his conclusion. All in all, this book is very well thought out.

Silver says that genetic engineering of humans is here to stay, and we just have to accept it.Do I dectect a vested interest here? He says some parents want it, so let the market place decide.This is a very shallow argument.You don't deal with a serious ethical and social question by leaving it to the highest bidder.Silver never considers the very possible dangers that are inherent in genetic engineering.Since this book was written,Dolly the cloned sheep has shown signs of premature aging. What if this was a human being?Silver is just too gung-ho about cloning, he doesn't face up to the potential dangers. We must tread carefully, as side effects could be disastrous.He says it is alright to interfer with nature, look at the elimination of small pox.This is fair enough, but does not automatically justify genetic engineering.He avoids facing all the trouble man has caused by changing nature, such as splitting the atom, cutting down forests, polluting the environment, etc.When man acts with selfish motives, usually good does not result.Silver says that cloning can make happy and successful people, but he does not define his philosophy of the "good life".He says some people will be made disease resistant.But what about the rest?He admits that only a few will be able to afford genetic engineering, but over millions of years the (alleged) benefits will flow down to the rest of the population!!Silver ignores the social and environmental factors which go to make up a good human life.In the final analysis ,the quality of life depends on the values held by human beings, a question not touched upon by Silver.I am not encouraged about the future when people with such shallow views as Silver are in positions of influence.