I think this is one of those issues that will definitely define (at least partially) what it means to be human, for the foreseeable future. On one hand, we let evolution stop completely by "fixing any abnormality," something we feel so compelled to do, or we force evolution to continue in a way we deem favorable, with an android-human future forthcoming as such. The way modern consumer health is structured, I definitely see humans heading for the android future, we're already taking steps that way, as demonstrated by our professor. But perhaps his 20-15 vision is just a side-bonus... I mean why shoot for normal if you can get great, right?
That aside, the question begging at the hamstring of modern consumer surgery, as said in class, is what happens when these implants, reductions, removals, replacements, etc. become demanded. That is definitely a factor for the people getting their limbs removed. If they had no clue that they could have such surgeries, how many would want them, or even think they need them. Maybe that feeling of a limb not belonging where it hangs for arms and legs is normal, and these people just never got that, or maybe it is poor nerve connections. Regardless, you can't want something if you don't have any knowledge of it! and that is why drug companies advertise.
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Do you have RLS? ... even if you're not sure, why not ask you're doctor? It could make you life better forever... blah blah blah ... oh, and don't worry about the side affects (all fifty of them, stated in rapid speech or fine print)... they don't matter if your problem is solved, never mind the ten other we created... (we've all seen these commercials).
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But that is just the point, these side effects do matter. You look better than her, so you must be a better person (naturally or through money). Oh... you're ugly so I don't like you... shoo
If we are headed for an android future, we better watch as these side effects build... anybody see Independence Day, starring Will Smith? I sure as hell don't want to end up stuck in a life suit like those aliens! How about I am Legend... lets all be vampires... it'll be great cause we just cured cancer right!
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Hey Bruce, I'm gonna play a little devil's advocate about the evolution thing. The future of the paranoid android would entail people modifying characteristics to attain (generally) better perceived traits. The thing is the genotypes would remain unchanged (assuming DNA manipulation isn't taking place as well) in the population and successive generations would still carry some of that info. The mechanisms that drive evolution are constantly at work, even when we side-track them by doing weird stuff. An example: breast augmentation. The idea is that if all women had boob jobs then there wouldn't be any variation in that trait. Augmentations have been performed for over 100 years (at least three generations) although the last 50 seem the most noteworthy (look up the history if you are not in the know, 1900 surgeries were nuts!). Any way this would imply the the trait of breast size has drifted since the inception of the practice. I have no stats on the matter but I wouldn't be surprised if the claim hold's no water. Evolution is always at work.
ReplyDeleteI guess I didn't actually say why its could be horrible, so here what I can think of now... & lets hope genetic modification doesn't doom us!
ReplyDelete-access to modifications could cause real-world difference, say for skilled labor you need this implant, so those without the money for the implant have no chance to get it (assuming Capitalism remains)
-If "curing" of birth defects does end up in the genetics department, then what I said prior becomes especially true