PHL384H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter Baylis: Human Enhancement, Gene Therapy, Nuclear Transfer
Document Summary
The inevitability of genetic enhancement technologies (baylis, robert) Worldview: humans as masters of human evolutionary future- recognizing this will lead to new directions for ethical thinking about genetic enhancement technologies: physical enhancements, psychological enhancement, moral enhancement. Issues with: technical means of enhancement, nature of enhancement, motivations for enhancement (competitive advantage, power, health, increase life span ) Genetic enhancement technology: something that alters expression of genes already present in humans, or addition of genes that have not previously appeared in human population---for the purpose of moral, intellectual, or psychological, or physical improvement. Claim: attempts to develop and use such technologies are inevitable (even if many will fail). Moral arguments will not be sufficient to stop attempts at genetic enhancement: ethical energy should be redirected at making this process morally acceptable and using them in a socially responsible way. Transgression of divine laws: god"s omniscience: volitional evolution- intentional genetic shaping of human purpose- should remain beyond human reach.
