In Grover Beach, California, nineteen-year-old Cameron Clapp trains for his next track meet — on battery-powered, robotic metal legs. Meanwhile, in Framingham, Mass. a pharmaceutical company is splicing human genes into cow and goat embryos, enabling the animals to produce milk that contains a therapeutic protein that’s used to treat deep-vein thrombosis.
This may sound like science fiction, but it is not. Biotechnology is surging forward at an unprecedented pace. In the future, parents will be able to ensure that their children are born with high IQs and more appealing physical traits.
But these discoveries are not without their baggage. Imagine, for instance, competing for jobs against genetically altered super-geniuses. Or, imagine trying to get a promotion when your boss, and his boss, and his boss will all live to be 120. For those who can afford biological enhancement technology, difficult tasks will become simple. But for those who can’t afford it, competition will be impossible, and they’ll find themselves in a genetic under-caste.
Needless to say, there’s a great debate on the horizon. The way I see it, policy makers will be faced with three choices: 1) To simply leave enhancement technology to those who can afford it; 2) To try to discourage all forms of these advancements in an attempt to ward off social evils; or, 3) To create policies and norms now that will seek to guide but not stifle this area of science.
It’s this third path that lawmakers must follow. As we progress, our elected officials must not allow biological enhancements to create what author Maxwell Mehlman has dubbed a “genobility” — or, a caste of genetically superior individuals. But neither should they suppress our human thirst for knowledge that can alleviate suffering, extend and improve the quality of life, and expand the range of human potential.
By Coconutfarmer at 1:28 PM ON 09/12/08
Life has these funny balance mechanisms... You seek to improve one area and another suffers. There is no such thing a a perfect human, either genetically or created through years of dedicated study. So while you may have superior intelligence you find yourself socially deficient... A person physically advanced may find themselves challenged in intellectual tasks. I'm sure scientists will navigate their way through this one day, but thankfully with the high cost of gene picking, we will probably have long succumbed to another dark age due to climate change, war, natural resource depletion, or even a meteor strike before we have to worry about things getting that far. But to be on the safe side, I'm going to start a 'genetic improvement savings fund' kinda like saving for your education. That way by the time my great grand children are having children they'll have enough money to buy the genes to compete against the 10 richest people who will own the few remaining items of worth on our planet. :)
By Boundless at 2:19 PM ON 09/15/08
There is a whole group dedicated to this idea. They are called the Transhumanists; no only do they seek to manipulate genes to create superior intellect and physical agility, but also hope to allow our life expectancy to be increased by up to 1000% (or have everlasting life). Also they are not afraid of the idea of merging our bodies with computers and robots.
One idea that they proposed which makes sense is what they call the "singularity." Basically what that means is that the people who are genetically enhanced create and discover new things which enhance the quality life for everyone and also develop ways to further the genetic improvement of everyone (making it cheaper to be genetically enhanced). Maybe its important to enhance the most knowledgable (and well-meaning) people first so that they can use their talents to enhance everyone else as well.
By jim at 11:45 AM ON 09/29/08
I am facinated by bioengineering and even have a few ideas myself, but I've always assumed that the government would make many genetic modifications illegal. If we can really change how humans are, to the extent predicted, wouldn't many people find that immoral? If so many people are against abortions because they believe a fetus is alive, what would these people say to changing them into something that is practicaly no longer the same species? There are some great things we could do, but, what about all the things that could go horribly wrong?
By Bio at 2:51 AM ON 10/12/08
...Or I could've watched Gattaca.