Brave New World War (Social Implications for Genetic Modification of Humans)

person

...Social Darwinists have long claimed that elites were smarter and had a greater natural capacity than the masses, a concept proven wrong as opportunity has democratized and societies have become more internally mobile. Taken to its extreme, this has led to the eugenics movement of the early part of the last century and, of course, the murderous ideology of Nazi Germany. But what if, in addition to having better nutrition, more exposure to ideas, and better schooling, the rich and privileged within a society also had genetic manipulations that actually made their brains function better? Princeton‘s Silver takes this argument a frightening step further, arguing, as the BBC report does, that societies will eventually bifurcate into genetically enhanced people and lower-capacity “naturals,” two groups that will become “entirely separate species with no ability to cross breed.”

In this context, would it begin to make sense for the enhanced people to assume leading roles in running institutions and governments, or making decisions on behalf of the less-enhanced populace? Uneven genetic enhancement would challenge our basic concepts of equality and place enormous or even existential strains on the democratic process. What is the life expectancy of a democracy where people are literally not born equal?...

http://www.democracyjournal.org/8/6586.php?page=all

Dakini

That's silly--no ability to cross breed. It's now known that Neanderthals mixed with Cro-Magnons or modern humans (I forget which). More likely that the enhanced people wouldn't want to breed with the naturals.

Somehow I think all of this is the least of our worries. First, we have to survive the impending environmental catastrophe, not to mention threats of nuclear war that pop up from time to time.

person

That's silly--no ability to cross breed. It's now known that Neanderthals mixed with Cro-Magnons or modern humans (I forget which). More likely that the enhanced people wouldn't want to breed with the naturals.

Yeah, to me thats the real issue a permanent, and truely upper class, rather than some distant biological distinction.

Really though, this isn't all that far off. There's much more to the article than just the ideas in the passage above.

person

I've been reading The Universe in a Single Atom by HHDL and he devoted an entire chapter to the ethics of genetic modification. So that's why I started investigating and posted this.

Lady_Alison

Genetic diversity offers the strongest offspring... why not put a little mocha in your family latte?---Raj...on sheldon's sister, missy.

tbbt

Lady_Alison

Invincible_summer

A couple of related links on this topic:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumanism

http://humanityplus.org/philosophy/transhumanist-faq/

Dakini

I've been reading The Universe in a Single Atom by HHDL and he devoted an entire chapter to the ethics of genetic modification. So that's why I started investigating and posted this.

What does he say about it?

person

A couple of related links on this topic:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumanism

http://humanityplus.org/philosophy/transhumanist-faq/

Thanks, I kind of like the idea of creating a better human being. I believe though that with our current socio-economic system, and this what the OP link argues, that the rich would have access while the poor would not thus creating a genetic divide increasing class inequality and ultimately undermining the principles of democracy (eg. All men are created equal).

person

I've been reading The Universe in a Single Atom by HHDL and he devoted an entire chapter to the ethics of genetic modification. So that's why I started investigating and posted this.

What does he say about it?

Mostly what the OP talks about plus he talks about the problems of GMO's like in your other post.

Invincible_summer

So it sounds like the underlying problem is the big "c" word...

..

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Capitalism!

And no, I don't know what a feasible replacement would be.