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Bleeding Edge

by Mike Masnick

Tue, Sep 30th 2003 1:24am





Will Bioengineering Lead To The End Of Evolution?

from the thanks-Darwin,-we're-done-with-you-now dept

Quite the manifesto has been written by Alan H. Goldstein, the director of the Biomedical Materials Engineering Science Program at Alfred University, where he goes on and on (and on) about how today's bioethicists focus on things like cloning they have absolutely no clue what's really coming next: homo technicus. An entirely new species built via bioengineering, and he's not talking about the common perception of "cyborgs". He says that homo technicus will be built to perfection, and will end the concept of evolution, because it won't be necessary any more. The piece is certainly interesting in bringing up lots of issues to think about, but could probably do with a bit less drama and repeated warnings that most people simply can't fathom what he's talking about.

4 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    I'll believe it when

    identicon
    dorpus, Sep 30th, 2003 @ 1:53am

    we are able to eradicate hereditary disorders, first of all. Nobody in the medical or biological community is expecting dramatic progress for at least 20 years. When will we conquer obesity, the common cold, or other everyday problems?


    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Without reading the article...

    identicon
    Doug, Sep 30th, 2003 @ 1:03pm

    (not being a Salon subscriber) it sounds like Goldstein stumbled across John Varley's novel Steel Beach.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Re: Without reading the article...

    identicon
    Patrick, Sep 30th, 2003 @ 3:42pm

    Or Gattaca?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: I'll believe it when

    identicon
    Al Pocalypse, Feb 10th, 2004 @ 9:34am

    No, we don't have a cure for the common cold but guess what... we didn't build atomic toasters before we developed nuclear bombs. Soldiers with advanced optical implants could still be susceptable to rhinoviruses. I'd recommend thinking outside the box but it sounds like you are trapped in 2space.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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