Illustrative image for Playing God From Frankenstein to Gene Editing

Hastings Center News

Playing God: From Frankenstein to Gene Editing

Published Posted in Arts & Ideas, Children and Families, Gene Editing, Genetics, Science and the Self

What lessons does Frankenstein hold for us today, when powerful new technologies such as gene editing and artificial intelligence are bringing us closer than ever to playing God? That question was the focus of  “Spawn of Frankenstein,” a public event that featured Josephine Johnston, director of research at The Hastings Center, among the panelists.

The event was presented by Future Tense, a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University.  It took place in Washington on February 2. Johnston discussed playing God in a secular sense, focusing especially on the implications that prenatal genetic diagnosis and gene editing might have for parenthood. “As parents have more control over their children, how does that change the parent-child relationship?” she asks. Watch the video of the event.