7 replies to this topic

[Nick1984]

www.humansfuture.org

Came across a pretty interesting website covering aspects such as genetic enginic engineering and transhumanism.

Where do you people stand on this, do you think it's the future now that humans have stopped evolving, or is the idea of man playing god immoral?

[Nick1984]

Fantastic article regarding eugenics, IQ and the future of China.

http://www.toqonline...ese-superstate/

[Craven]

Kinda connected to topic:

[classical piano guy]

Fantastic article regarding eugenics, IQ and the future of China.

http://www.toqonline...ese-superstate/

Fairly interesting read; however, the article is flawed in a number of ways:

First off, eugenics through selective propagation is actually very nearly obsolete. Within the next 50 years, humanity will develop the means to correct, enhance, and maximize any and all traits currently determined by one's DNA. In fact, genetic manipulation, stem cell infusions, and cybernetic implants are effectively going to eliminate all the undesirable characteristics eugenists would like to breed out.

Improving the gene pool would have proven much more useful a few hundred (or even thousand) years ago, but unfortunately, knowledge of the human body was too limited at the time to stir any sort of movement. Ironically, the very technology which has illuminated to us the value of eugenics has also rendered it moot.

Second, even if number one weren't the case, the pace of improvement through natural methods would be much slower than is stated in the article. IQ's of 150 in 100 years? Not even China's policies are selective enough to make that possible. Perhaps, 125-130 at the most, but anything above that is a wild dream.

Third, in the time of nuclear weapons, no country is ever successfully going to "take over the world."

[Nick1984]

What's frightening is that thanks to the One Child Policy is that there will be 40 million men (poor, short, fat, thick ect...) who won't even have a chance of bagging the complete munters. They won't marry and won't reproduce due to the unbalance.

Does that country have a plan for these people, apart from offering army positions? And, is China just doing what Hitler tried without actually killing anyone?

[Nick1984]

Kinda connected to topic:

Just goes to show how important ethics are, how can you tell whether or not that eel brain in a tank isn't in excruciating pain 24/7?

[Craven]

Actually thing about remotely controlled mice is that (from what I've read somewhere long time ago) their pleasure center is stimulated when they obey commands. Making them happiest slaves. While it's scary at first moment, if you distance yourself and look at it objectively, it seems like a win-win.

[Nick1984]

Seems pretty cold and heartless, hopefully biotech will advance quicky past this current stage.