Genetic Engineering of Humans

[DireWolfM14]

What do you folks think about Genetic Engineering of Humans?

To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about it.  It could be the beginning of a super-human race that will replace homo-sapiens, or it could be the beginning of the end for humans, as tampering with our genome could cause unforeseen mutations that will destroy humanity all together.

I'm a believer in evolution, and in my opinion evolution need not be limited to natural selection.  An organism's own contribution to it's evolution is not only feasible, it's proven to be possible.  Up until now our biological evolution has been slowly accumulating through breeding, selection, and disease.  In the last two hundred years or so we've contributed to our own ancillary evolution, which can be cataloged through our tools: weapons, transportation, and computation.

If we are capable of modifying our biological make-up to more closely suit our lives, is it such a bad thing?

Anyway, there have been some interesting stories in the news about He Jiankui, a Chinese researcher who claims to have created two humans who were genetically engineered.  Then he disappeared...

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/dec/02/marc-a-thiessen-gene-editing-is-here-its-an-enormo/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/he-jiankui-missing-crispr-gene-edited-babies_us_5c0641a0e4b0cd916faf700c

I'm making this a self-moderated topic because this is a broad reaching subject, and I don't care how closely it stays on-topic. 

[1714132841]

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[1714132841]

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[bluefirecorp_]

As a transhumanist; go for it.

It should probably be regulated. There's been plenty of films of giant ants and such attacking people.

[glenntalbot]

I think that this already happened since we are cloning animals way a long time ago. All these experiments occur and if they have a positive result then they are shown on the public light but if the public opinion doesn't like the idea then the labs or the government would not share anything

[Foxpup]

It could be the beginning of a super-human race that will replace homo-sapiens, or it could be the beginning of the end for humans, as tampering with our genome could cause unforeseen mutations that will destroy humanity all together.

Both of these scenarios assume (with no basis whatsoever) that unmodified humans will go extinct.

There's been plenty of films of giant ants and such attacking people.

Argument from fictional evidence is fallacious and allows absurd conclusions, such as that experiments involving cute animals are safe because Night of the Lepus wasn't scary.

[FilesFM_Announcements]

The west not getting involved in Genetic Engineering is giving an unfair advantage to Japan and China who are going to leap frog over us in regards to this technology.

They don't have the same moral obstacles/reservations we do in the west, so expect their dominance in this field over the next 10 years!

[Pagoda.to]

I'm 100% all for this, I wish all countries got involved in it because it is the future whether we like it or not. Why can't we modify human genes to be healthier, look better, be smarter, it's just obvious.

[pptIox]

His reason is to stop HIV and create a person who can be born with immunology of HIV. But editing human genes is a recognized area in the world. Maybe we can call him a devil, but he can also be called a pioneer, it depends on whether his experiment will lead to some unknown and terrible consequences.
In my opinion, the consequences of genetic editing may be:
1. Interfering with the way of human natural evolution, may cause some unknown genetic variation.
2. May lead to some new unknown genetic disease in the future.
3. Clones humans are smarter and stronger than natural humans, and maybe planned extermination of natural humans.
As a traditional person, I believe that we should follow the laws of nature and avoid all risks that may lead to human extinction.

[CSTL_dmili23]

It could be the beginning of a super-human race that will replace homo-sapiens

Why is that a bad thing? If my son is twice as smart and twice as strong as me, that'll be a very good thing. What people need to realise is that if genetic engineering is illegal then that just means it'll only be accessible by the rich. The rich will be even more powerful than before.

[ATMD]

I'm in the "it's inevitable and should be regulated" camp. I believe that it is the present and future of science. To create a future society where there is less disease and illness.

[DireWolfM14]

It could be the beginning of a super-human race that will replace homo-sapiens, or it could be the beginning of the end for humans, as tampering with our genome could cause unforeseen mutations that will destroy humanity all together.

Both of these scenarios assume (with no basis whatsoever) that unmodified humans will go extinct.

I was merely painting a hypothetical, and not suggesting that the only potential outcome is unmodified humans going extinct.  Certainly, over time the possibility does now exist.  And, one can argue the basis for that assumption also exists, and is displayed all around us.  We are currently the only surviving member of the Homo genus.

[bluefirecorp_]

There's been plenty of films of giant ants and such attacking people.

Argument from fictional evidence is fallacious and allows absurd conclusions, such as that experiments involving cute animals are safe because Night of the Lepus wasn't scary.

In other fiction; I'd like to point out "Squabbits" from Brickleberry won't really help.

The only reason I bring up the fictional story is because it drives society to decision making. If people were entirely rational, we'd be burning nuclear ore for our fuel instead of coal.

[Wolfencloud]

Modifying the genes of a human is good in terms of health, we can avoid diseases that has no cure. But genetically modifying humans to become a "God" is not a good idea in my own opinion, because if we talk about modifying the genes of human, there are danger that we are facing that can also lead the human race to extinction. But if the scientist can use it in a good way, it can help us to survive in a very long period of time.

[theymos]

I totally support this guy. Scientists have become cowards. Everything here was voluntary, and the possible benefits are enormous. While the entire rest of the world is doing unending long-term studies on incremental bits & pieces which even in the best case might show marginal benefits after many years, this guy took one giant leap for mankind. We need more mad scientists in the world...

The poll doesn't have a no-regulation option. I'm all for it without regulation. I hope that eventually at-home genetic modification becomes as common as 3D printing today, and the fact that this apparently "rogue" scientist was able to pull it off gives me a lot of hope in that area. If only governments end up able to do this sort of thing, then I'm nearly certain that eg. China will pursue genetic modification aimed at making people more docile; we need bottom-up countermeasures.

I sometimes wish that I had gotten into genetic engineering as a field rather than computers. It'll probably be the next massive technological revolution.

It could be the beginning of a super-human race that will replace homo-sapiens

Why is that a bad thing? If my son is twice as smart and twice as strong as me, that'll be a very good thing.

Agreed. People often have an irrational conservative bias when it comes to this stuff. If a race of super-humans is created, then they should dominate most things (based on their increased merit, not automatically). And it's not like there's eugenics against stupid/sub-optimal people today, so I'm not worried about some non-modified-genocide situation.

I think that many of these modifications will eventually be possible on adults, too, though, delivered via injectable viruses.

soon my mind was filled with one thought, one conception, one purpose. So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein—more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.

[lrvjvt]

As far as I know, he and his research institute are being investigated by the Chinese government, and he has to admit that he "made a mistake".

He is now very pitiful. The government is investigating him. Most Chinese people do not understand him and regard him as a devil. The university that funded him announced that it had terminated cooperation with him. Even his friends and colleagues are now accusing him.

Many times science requires great courage.

[goldreset]

I think that this already happened since we are cloning animals way a long time ago. All these experiments occur and if they have a positive result then they are shown on the public light but if the public opinion doesn't like the idea then the labs or the government would not share anything

Very right. I believe so too. First of all secret Gov projects do not really need the public opinion. They would already have done that to actual humans.

Perhaps like what we see in movie Bourne Legacy. Meds that permanently alter the capacity of human physiques and cognitive enhancements... are probably real and tested already.

Much like how advanced mobile technology were actually existed at least 3 decade before public get hold of them.

[criptix]

I totally support this guy. Scientists have become cowards. Everything here was voluntary, and the possible benefits are enormous. While the entire rest of the world is doing unending long-term studies on incremental bits & pieces which even in the best case might show marginal benefits after many years, this guy took one giant leap for mankind. We need more mad scientists in the world...

The poll doesn't have a no-regulation option. I'm all for it without regulation. I hope that eventually at-home genetic modification becomes as common as 3D printing today, and the fact that this apparently "rogue" scientist was able to pull it off gives me a lot of hope in that area. If only governments end up able to do this sort of thing, then I'm nearly certain that eg. China will pursue genetic modification aimed at making people more docile; we need bottom-up countermeasures.

I sometimes wish that I had gotten into genetic engineering as a field rather than computers. It'll probably be the next massive technological revolution.

It could be the beginning of a super-human race that will replace homo-sapiens

Why is that a bad thing? If my son is twice as smart and twice as strong as me, that'll be a very good thing.

Agreed. People often have an irrational conservative bias when it comes to this stuff. If a race of super-humans is created, then they should dominate most things (based on their increased merit, not automatically). And it's not like there's eugenics against stupid/sub-optimal people today, so I'm not worried about some non-modified-genocide situation.

I think that many of these modifications will eventually be possible on adults, too, though, delivered via injectable viruses.

soon my mind was filled with one thought, one conception, one purpose. So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein—more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.

genome based bio weapons gonna be fun  

[DireWolfM14]

The poll doesn't have a no-regulation option.

Fixed.

genome based bio weapons gonna be fun  

That's obviously the concern about allowing genetic research without regulations, in my opinion.  Not that regulations or sanctions can stop a despot from weaponizing genetics.  I mean, Britons did it in Scotland for generations. 

No matter how noble the intentions of the scientists and researchers might be, someone will use the technology for nefarious purposes. 

[theymos]

genome based bio weapons gonna be fun  

If genetic bioweapons are illegal, only criminals will have genetic bioweapons. We need widespread genetic engineering so that we can improve our own defenses against such things, including attacks by governments against their citizens: a more literal form of anti-virus.

Oryx and Crake is a good piece of fiction featuring a world with highly-accessible genetic engineering where it's as easy to make a custom bioweapon as it is to make a computer virus nowadays. The author clearly wants to ban all genetic research or something like that, but I still highly recommend the book for anyone interested in this topic, since it's very thought-provoking. (It's the first in a series of books, but I've only read the first one.)

[ATMD]

genome based bio weapons gonna be fun  

If genetic bioweapons are illegal, only criminals will have genetic bioweapons. We need widespread genetic engineering so that we can improve our own defenses against such things, including attacks by governments against their citizens: a more literal form of anti-virus.

Oryx and Crake is a good piece of fiction featuring a world with highly-accessible genetic engineering where it's as easy to make a custom bioweapon as it is to make a computer virus nowadays. The author clearly wants to ban all genetic research or something like that, but I still highly recommend the book for anyone interested in this topic, since it's very thought-provoking. (It's the first in a series of books, but I've only read the first one.)

Thank for your the recommendation, I like Sci-Fi

[Flying Hellfish]

GE will be part of our species evolution and the only thing that will stop evolution of our species is extinction. Humans will do it if we can and if we don't all do it someone will get a major head start on it and could be used for really really bad shit. 

According to evolution and our understanding of the Earth if humans are alive in another 4 billion or so years those humans will look as much like us as we do to our 4 billion year old amoeba ancestors.

I wonder if big corporations will genetically enhance humans to not require sleep anymore so people can work 20 hours a day for them?

Perhaps with the integration of genetic engineering and technology a person might be able to transfer his conscious anywhere in the world immediately to a genetically engineered "host body/container"! I would like my host bodies to look like Scarlett Johansson pls!