上級分類: 生物多樣性生物工程生物技術

Human self-modification

How to edit our own genome to phenotype, and should we?

YAML 問題

It is easy to modify our phenotype just by having a plastic surgery, and it doesn't affect the genetics of all of our offspring. Changing genome, on the other hand, is a much more consequential in that regard. On the other hand, it is also a fact that each of us is an owner of their body, and can practically privately try to do to their bodies whatever they please.

The differentiation of species could potentially lead to the diversity of humans on a par and greater than the diversity of dogs. This category is both for the "how" and the "why" of low-to-high level self-modification.


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從[另一個話題]回答[skihappy]的顧慮(https://0oo.li/intent/82001/?l=en

Answering [skihappy]'s concerns from another topic, namely:

// Modifying genome will affect only the next generation, not the individual, but his offspring. What kinda motivation would we have to do that to our children? I'd guess, to produce slaves, highly specialized for some tasks. //

I think self-modification would actually increase the bio-diversity, a bit like sex has increased the biodiversity, and really, increase the competition between variants, leading to new wave of evolution. However, with these technologies, where being born of one phenotype would not mean staying with it, the evolution could happen not by death of variants, but by death of certain traits by replacing them with new ones -- continual morphing.

// Another scenario is rich people enhancing their children with super senses, creating a master race. How about creating a warrior subspecies of humans? Are you ready to fight them? //

Superhumans wouldn't be a problem, if society had rules and social norms that govern certain abilities, just like there are rules for the blind people, there could be rules for those with the vision of an eagle or an owl. I frankly would love to have the vision of an owl, as I could see the Andromeda galaxy in its full glory without a long-exposure. Why not? At the rate that these technologies are progressing (consider CRISPR), it's likely that they will be widely available, not just for the rich people.

Having a gun today is more dangerous than any "warrior subspecies", and guns are generally regulated in most countries. However, I agree that there should be limits set though -- it may be that certain characteristic are not socially acceptable.

There's definitely limits to the diversity of species that modern society would be ready and willing to deal with.

// It's like software that can modify its own code. Maybe by some rules at first, but then those rules will be subject to change. It's just too confusing. Also, how would you deal with unfortunate, but inevitable mistakes. Woops, we just created a species in f monstrous phycopaths, for ever to deal with. Good luck. //

Good point. Perhaps the features of self-modification would have to be publicly known and legal-coded, and there would have to be both legal and illegal features to acquire through self-modification. For example, it may be illegal to grow very large muscles meanwhile destabilizing certain cognitive functions, etc.


即使是未來,我也不是粉絲。沒有可能的方法來爲這樣的事情創建監督和規則。最可怕的部分是處理不可逆轉的錯誤。這些基因模式中的每一個都將是一場不可逆轉的實驗,有些人必須應對後果。想象一下,除了知道你的痛苦來自某個特定的人,你認識的人之外,當沒有人像你一樣的時候,試着融入其中。想象一下成爲那個人並且不得不面對你的錯誤。道德問題的範圍超出了我的範圍。我寧願離開這個話題。我確定它會來。我的意思是,這將摧毀任何道德觀念,因爲它隨着人類歷史的發展而演變。什麼風暴會襲擊我們是不可預測的。我還沒有準備好。

Even if it's the future, I'm not a fan. There's no possible way to create oversight and rules about such a thing. The scariest part is dealing with irreversible mistakes. Every one of those genetic mods will be an irreversible experiment, with some individuals having to deal with consequences. Imagine trying to fit in when there's no one like you, besides knowing your misery came from someone specific, someone you know. Imagine being that person and having to confront your mistake. The range of moral issues is beyond me. I'd rather get off the subject. I'm sure it's coming tho. What I'm saying, this will destroy any notion of morality, as it evolved thru human history. What storm will hit us is unpredictable. I'm not ready.



    :  -- 
    : Mindey, 尹與及
    :  -- 
    

skihappy,

// 想象一下,當沒有像你這樣的人時,嘗試適應... //

但是兩個一模一樣的人很少見,每個人都已經不同了……而我們已經無法改變我們祖先的交配決定。如果我們像處理代碼和軟件工程一樣理解和處理基因組,就會有很多方法來確保滿足約束條件。

我贊成後代集體工程的想法,而不是像Marvin Minsky的解釋那樣只有傳統的兩個父母交配然後產生後代的想法://youtu.be/RYsTv-ap3XQ?t=540)。

// Imagine trying to fit in when there's no one like you... //

But two identical people are rare, everyone is already different... And we already can't change the mating decisions of our ancestors. If we understand and deal with genomes like we deal with code and software engineering, there's going to be many ways to ensure that constraints are satisfied.

I favor the idea of collective engineering of offspring rather than the idea that only traditional two parents mate and then produce offspring like Marvin Minsky's explains.