Scientists in China are purportedly offering a genetic test that can help determine a child's natural abilities. Parents can pay about $880 to have their child assessed for various attributes such as listening ability, mental focus, IQ, and many others.
Parents that have already enrolled their children in this program assert that they are merely giving their child a headstart to a successful future. If their child can begin developing his or her natural talents at an earlier age, they argue, then they will have better opportunities for success later in life; just look at Yao-Ming.
Obviously, this practice raises a myriad of ethical concerns. The question I find most interesting, however, is this: what if it actually works? (If you haven't watched GATTACA, you should).
If it does work and more people begin to test their children, apart from some global ban, it won't be long before the test becomes commonplace amongst those wealthy enough to afford it. Parents' desires to see their children succeed will trump their ethical inhibitions. (Kaplan and Princeton Review have made millions off college-crazy parents aspiring to get their kids into Northwestern University.)
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the next decade or so.
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