The matrix

The advent of genetic modification in human beings has science and society in one of the great ethical quandaries in history. Faced with unprecedented questions about the meaning of humanity, philosophers and ethicists are compelled to admit to the inadequacy of former ethical systems. Yet in the early stages of genetic modification, we need ethical guidelines more than ever, guidelines that could forebode or decree what is to come. That's where The Matrix comes in. The Inheritable Modification Matrix is the culmination of Marilyn Coors' examination of ethics, religion and science in the context of human genetic modification. The Matrix identifies virtues, values, and principles that differentiate the beneficial uses of inheritable genetic modification from those that threaten the dignity of human life. It is intended to guide moral deliberations concerning the benefits and harms involved, and eventually proposes an ethical boundary for this new and unprecedented technology.

Marilyn E. Coors is assistant professor in the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center's Program in Health Care Ethics, Humanities, and Law.