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The Forum > General Discussion > Improving the human species through genetic engineering?

Improving the human species through genetic engineering?

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Steven,

Your comment brings to mind what a couple of neuroscientists wrote on another site:

They would choose wives with small feet - that way, they stand closer to the sink.
Posted by Danielle, Monday, 19 November 2007 6:08:59 PM
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Steven ,

Lets spread our Love and wealth around.

Being selfish isn't all that much fun .

If we are going to use genetics, breed most from the unselfish people - who may or may not be terribly brainy and who may not be the fastest or the most attractive.

I heard on the ABC a couple of days ago that 37 million people in the US were not getting enough to eat . They are headed "South"!

Is that genetics at work or is it John Howard's mate's System of Government ??

How do you breed a good system of Government that can reverse or cure the above obviously flawed condition ?
Posted by kartiya jim, Monday, 19 November 2007 8:47:52 PM
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As I've said many times in the past,"If he body be the vehicle for the soul,ie "our aspirations";wouldn't you want to come back to a better vehicle?

Suffering only improves our human condition to the point of motivation to improve it,suffering for suffering's sake,is meanlingless.This is where religion has failed us.
Posted by Arjay, Monday, 19 November 2007 9:53:11 PM
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KARTIYA JIM

I am making a forecast. Not advocating a course of action.

It seems to me that, one way or another, we are headed in the direction designer babies.

The wealthy will have access to whatever technology develops first. They are the ones who will set the pace. My guess is they will use it to have children better able to compete in the world.

They will not settle for children that are not too bright, not very physically attractive, but are "nice."

Consider the amount of money wealthy parents spend on school fees at the "best" schools. But even going to the best school does not GUARANTEE success in life.

Now for the cost of little more than, say, three years school fees' they will have access to a technology which considerably boosts rich kid's chances of success in the game of life.

What do you think wealthy parents will do?

ARJAY

I don't think wealthy parents will accept your line of argument.
Posted by stevenlmeyer, Tuesday, 20 November 2007 6:43:08 AM
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Steven ,

I do think it would be good to eliminate some of the terrible diseases in the world - with some genetic engineering if necessary .

However as the number of "poor" increase, will we see the beautifull rich retire to the security of their high walled city compounds, there to inbreed themselves into trouble .

No doubt they will try to introduce new genes from the pool of poor as they see themselves deteriorate but in the end it will be the "nice" rich negotiators talking to those outside the compound gates ,not necessarily the most beautifull, that will have to bale them out .

But I will concede there is a fair bit of DNA etc being cheaply collected at present by companies from all races that could be used to advantage the wealthy.
Posted by kartiya jim, Tuesday, 20 November 2007 1:37:38 PM
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I’m with Harris 100%...

Few people nowadays really believe natural selection charts the optimum course.
Every time you seek medical help, choose fruits/meats/flowers you are voting for enhanced evolution - though apparently some haven’t cottoned on to it .

I agree with EasyTimes- it started slowly but through increments’ will become the norm.

I disagree with Danielle - what it will lead to will be anything but boring.

In nature, desirable traits are often mingled with undesirable traits.
And it takes a lot of natural crossing to separate the two.
Now, you can’t treat humans like domestic animals & dictate who they breed with -but genetic engineering provides a way.

What if, schizophrenics purported “creativity” was able to separated from the other, or a savants numerical ability was able to be separated from the other -and if such characteristics could become common human traits.

And consider, if humans had chlorophyll as skin pigment rather than melanin -science-fiction now, yes -but science-possible, in the future .We could extract a lot of our energy needs direct from sunlight; no need to farm, methane emitting cattle; and no need to clear forests for farms ; no more skins cancers - all solved, in one fell swoop!

And what If, the twin phallus that some breeds of tortoises have , & use alternatively, could cross the species barrier & be employed simultaneously …no, on second thoughts I wont go down that route …

Seriously though, I welcome enhanced evolution & I predict there will come a time when the body will be considered nothing much more than a vessel, which we’ll swap & change at will, and consciousness, whether born of a human body or of AI technology, will have equal status
Posted by Horus, Tuesday, 20 November 2007 5:31:21 PM
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