BEFORE YOU READ:

Match the meaning with the word

1. Dictum a. WOMB: (n) the organ in the body of a woman or

other female mammal in which a baby develops
before birth
2. Compartmentalized b. EMBRYO: (n) an animal that is developing either in
its mother;s womb or in an egg, or a plant that
is developing in a seed
3. Womb c. ALTERED : (v) changed
4. Clone d. INCUBATOR: (n) a container that has controlled air
and temperature conditions conditions in which a
weak or premature baby (= one which was born too
early) can be kept    alive
5. Embryo e. DICTUM : (n) a short statement, especially one
expressing advice of a general truth
6. Incubator f. CLONE: (v) to produce a plant or animal that has
the same genes as the original from which it
was produced
7. Altered g. MENIAL: (adj) Menial work is boring, makes
you feel tired, and is given a low social value
8. Menial h. COMPARTMENTALIZED: (adj) separated into parts
and not allowing those parts to mix together

I. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) – Social context

Brave New World is set in 2540 CE, which the novel identifies as the year AF 632. AF
stands for “after Ford,” as Henry Ford’s assembly line is revered as god-like; this era
began when Ford introduced his Model T. The novel examines a futuristic society, called
the World State, that revolves around science and efficiency. In this society, emotions
and individuality are conditioned out of children at a young age, and there are no lasting
relationships because “every one belongs to every one else” (a common World State
dictum). Huxley begins the novel by thoroughly explaining the scientific and
compartmentalized nature of this society, beginning at the Central London Hatchery
and Conditioning Centre, where children are created outside the womb and cloned in
order to increase the population. The reader is then introduced to the class system of
this world, where citizens are sorted as embryos to be of a certain class. The embryos,
which exist within tubes and incubators, are provided with differing amounts of
chemicals and hormones in order to condition them into predetermined classes.
Embryos destined for the higher classes get chemicals to perfect them both physically
and mentally, whereas those of the lower classes are altered to be imperfect in those
respects. These classes, in order from highest to lowest, are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta,
and Epsilon. The Alphas are bred to be leaders, and the Epsilons are bred to be menial
labourers.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb0VLDHD3eo&t=190s

Discussion: What are the pros and cons of such society?

II. Video: Designer Babies

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1a2larfMIA
Watch the video and take note of the lecture

 What are designer babies?

 What are the pros and cons of designer babies?

- ‘Desiger babies’ refer to one whose genetic make-up has been altered or choosen to
provide their designed genome. There are 3 technologies that have beeen developed
to enable ‘desiger babies’ : PGD,TALEN, CRISPR. But only pre is used for human
pregancies.
- The pros of designer baies: their lifespan can increase and it can reduce genetic-
inhertited disease from their parents. They also can hace better chane to succed in life.
Children can be given genes their parents don’t posses. However, children have no
choice of their genes. It leads to the loss of individuality and it can results in some
new disease and vulerability.