Anthropological Foundations of Human Manipulations (with an Emphasis on Genetic Engineering)

Man is a being who can manipulate nature and creation. His manipulations are various in kind and type amongst which is manipulating the genes of living organisms. This manipulation is subsumed under genetic engineering which is a set of methods that are used to change the genetic makeup of the target cell through transfer of new or synthetic genes from DNA in a way that the target cell not only inherits newly received characteristics but also transfers them to the next generation. In this way, genetic engineering is aimed at manipulating and interfering the life and nature. Therefore, from this angle, this science is faced with a variety of (philosophical, theological, juridical, legal, ethical, etc.) ambiguities and challenges delving into which requires sophisticated theoretical underpinnings on top of which is anthropological foundations. Man and anthropology are associated with genetic engineering and genetically engineered products: First, Man is the agent and doer of the manipulation. Second, Man is, in part, the patient of genetic engineering and third is that Man is the consumer of transgenic products. Considering the aforesaid issues, a variety of questions are framed such as what is the type of human’s interference and manipulation in nature and creation, what is the boundary of this manipulation and interference and what consequences are associated with it and finally does these genetic changes and modifications influence other dimensions of human beings such as mind, cognition, nature and behavior? The current research is an attempt to answer these questions using anthropological and religious underpinnings.