Genetical Enhancement/Manipulation in the novels

[Kilana2]

- Can anyone name novels that deal with that topic?


- The Better Man comes to mind (long time since I have read it), I think McCoy was involved, presumably the father of a young woman. And genetically enhanced people were favored.


- Keep in mind, that I still have to read Greg Cox´ Khan novels and David Macks Disavowed.


- Jack, Patrick and Lauren: these characters hold a certain fascination to me: why? Three different characters who justify the prohibition of genetical enhancement throughout the federation. They are the manifestation of what can go awry when it comes to the results of genetical enhancement.The question remains, how to deal with the victims.


- Jack: has no social skills, is aggressive, brilliant, considers himself superior to everyone else (except his fellows), self-proclaimed spokesman for the group


- Patrick, who is equally intelligent, child-like and Lauren with her excessive libido


- All of them have no sense of guilt, but a sense of community/ a common bond and are musical


- What is their current status, do they still reside in the institute? Are they still involved in projects for Starfleet Intelligence?


- What jobs/task would you assign to them?



- How do you visualize their future?


- In my opinion they should be kept busy with some problem solving stuff, as it is their strong suit. And they are kept together for good reasons as they function well as group. Working together with non-enhanced people, alas, might be difficult.


- No, I haven´t forgotten Sarina. I´m curious what the novel-verse has in store for her. I´m currently trying to make sense of her, but basically she is likeable to me.

 

[Christopher]

I don't think the Jack Pack justifies the prohibition on genetic engineering; just the opposite. They didn't turn out wrong because they were genetically engineered, but because they were illegally engineered, underground and without appropriate safeguards. If genetic engineering were legal, it could be done safely and with proper oversight, and wouldn't go wrong as often. If anything, they demonstrate that the ban does more harm than good.

 

[Kilana2]

I don't think the Jack Pack justifies the prohibition on genetic engineering; just the opposite. They didn't turn out wrong because they were genetically engineered, but because they were illegally engineered, underground and without appropriate safeguards. If genetic engineering were legal, it could be done safely and with proper oversight, and wouldn't go wrong as often. If anything, they demonstrate that the ban does more harm than good.

Are you thinking, that if there were legal methods of genetical engineering, the federation should rescind the prohibition or at least revise the terms? It requires further research in that field. Despite all the good that can be achieved there are still risks inherent. I don´t think the federation is open-minded towards that, given the history with Khan.

So, genetical engineering is still banned. What can parents do if their long-awaited child falls short of their expectation?

I´ve read "Cathedral" and I saw Bashir devolve into an alternative un-enhanced self, fearful of not being able to work as a doctor again.

 

[Christopher]

There are risks in any technology. There are huge risks in driving a car. Risks can be managed with intelligence and responsibility. There are plenty of medical and scientific advances that raise ethical questions, but that's why their practitioners and the government tend to work together to develop consistent, enforceable ethical standards to which the practice can be held. Legalizing a practice, ensuring it's conducted under a healthy oversight process, is the best way to enforce those ethical standards. Outlawing it just guarantees that it will be performed without ethical oversight.

 

[SiddFinch1]

There was a tos novel where they encounter a planet full of altered humans whose ancesters fled earth after the eugenics wars

 

[bok2384]

This isn't a major story about genetic manipulation but it is the background. In The Dominion War: Behind Enemy Lines, Captains' Picard and Ro visit a Cardassian colony world along the former-Demilitarized Zone, near the Badlands. During the visit, Picard learns that the colonists are actually dissidents who had been captured by the Cardassian authorities (presumably the Obisidian Order) and genetically manipulated so that can only absorb the enzymes and get sustenance from food grown on this particular planet. In effect, they are held in a prison colony with no prison and no guards.

Effective, if not cruel. Certainly Cardassian in its efficiency.

 

[Kilana2]

There was a tos novel where they encounter a planet full of altered humans whose ancesters fled earth after the eugenics wars

That could be "The Better Man". I´ve read more than 430 ST novels, both in English and German. To quote Damar: "Keeping track of them is a full-time job."

 

[Hando]

There is also Infiltrator by W.R. Thompson, Seeds of Dissent by James Swallow in Infinity's Prism, and perhaps The Sundered by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels or Section 31:Abyss by Jeffrey Lang and David Weddle could also count.

 

[Enterprise1701]

Devil's Bargain also featured genetically-altered humans.

 

[Kilana2]

Devil's Bargain also featured genetically-altered humans.

I´m looking forward to reading it. It is already on my bookshelf. I will read it after I finished "The worst of both worlds" and "Foul Deeds".

 

[Kilana2]

Another example occured to me, although not from the novels: B´Elanna, who tried to alter her child´s DNA to erase dominant Klingon features. Tom prevented her from doing so. But it was only the outward appearance of the child that B´Elanna bothered. The Doctor named all the advantages of a mixed heritage. So much for manipulations.....

 

[rfmcdpei]

Vonda MacIntyre's The Entropy Effect features a human crewperson whose ancestors were genetically engineered for a high-gravity planet.