Humans have already shown that it’s going to be a slippery slope when designer babies pick up full steam. PGD is widely used around the world currently to allow parents to select some of the traits of their children, such as gender and eye color.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a19313/genetic-engineering-allow...
First genetically modified human embryo happened this year.
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/world-s-first-genetically-...
Is genetic modification of humans to remove genetic illnesses like some cancers, color blindness, Sickle-Cell, Hemophilia, etc. a matter of if or a matter of when? A U.S. Panel has already endorsed it for these serious diseases.
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603633/us-panel-endorses-designer-bab...
Ethically and morally I see it as a positive thing. The ability to remove genetic diseases from the world is huge in and of itself, and I think it more than overcomes the possible abuse by parents to make perfect little designer babies. But we live in a capitalist world so is it just going to become yet another way that the 1% is “better” than the rest of us? Or on the other end what about genetic mistakes happening in third world countries doing bargain basement genetic modifications?
So do you think the benefits of genetically modified humans outweigh the negatives?
Subscription Note:
Choosing to subscribe to this topic will automatically register you for email notifications for comments and updates on this thread.
Email notifications will be sent out daily by default unless specified otherwise on your account which you can edit by going to your userpage here and clicking on the subscriptions tab.
Have you ever read or listened to Jason Silva? He's a great young modern day thinker. He completely believes we are on the verge of heading into human transcendence. But not in a spiritual or philosophical method, rather a technical and scientific method. Such as, bio-engineering a human body to better withstand the hazards of open space, or modifying our brains to think and feel better.
So in a nut shell, I believe genetically modifying humans is, in general, a good thing. But of course, like all other developments in can be misused.
That's an interesting topic, Mark.
The lesson of history is that once a technology genie gets out the bottle, it can't be put back. Genetic modification of humans is here, so irrespective of ethics, we'll have to learn to live with it, just as we've learned to deal with gunpowder and nuclear weapons.
I can see the many advantages of eliminating hereditary diseases and congenital defects. But longer term, the technology will inevitably be used to create designer babies with enhanced IQs, physical strength, immunity, and looks. Within a decade or so, we could be meeting the first generation of genius super-humans with immunity to all known diseases. I hope the zoo they put us "normals" in will be comfortable. In any event, I'm pretty sure that a race of 7-foot giants with IQs averaging 300 and lifespans measured in millennia will be atheists.
One thing that really annoys me about this kind of debate is the way politicians and journalists all seem to defer to the "wisdom" of religious leaders.
How soon before they have artificial wombs to grow the designer babies?
KHAN!!!!!!
Attachments
Attach Image/Video?:
The whole scope of genetics gets my stamp of approval, though I won't be around to witness what I imagine to be remarkable things. What lies in man's future is a dreamscape of possibilities and I wish it the wisdom to appropriate its survival as a collective. That would truly define for it a purpose that theism incorrectly bestowed upon it. Perhaps genetics is the path to immortality imagined by theism. Ghosts, goblins, ghouls, gremlins, gargoyles, gods and genetics? Oh, the alliteration!
@Algebe I don't think they would go for 7 foot unless they are looking to make us more athletic. If they have an eye toward space travel smaller would be better. Making us more resilient could pose other problems to the symbiosis we call the human digestive system. If they wanted us to be able to get the nutrients we need without bacteria and other lifeforms living in us, they would really have to rework the human body to overcome the deficiencies. Also there are issues with creating a totally different type of class warfare where you have the designer people of means versus then randoms who can't afford it.
@Mark: "I don't think they would go for 7 foot"
Tall people always seem to win US presidential elections and rise to the top in the corporate world. Parents wanting to give their kids a head start in life (literally) are likely to go for that option, and then it will just escalate. I remember a few years (decades?) ago there was a fad for giving kids growth hormone supplements.
On the other hand, Kurt Vonnegut had a subplot about the Chinese genetically shrinking themselves in "Slapstick".
I just saw this video about fetuses in a pod.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgmdF9l7K9o
Sorta on topic methinks.
I love the idea! A baby without the pain! Seriously, It'd be such a relief for us women...
I love the idea! A baby without pain! Seriously, It'd be such a relief for us women...