Will We in the Future Bioengineer Our Children?

frankiespeakin

I think in the near future this will be very prevalent and be the norm. I don't think anyone will want to have the risk of inherent birth defects that are preventable and their child being born that way just because they didn't want it, the future concerns of the child being more important. Religons will have to go along with this too or else get a very bad label as not being progressive and harmful to the human race.

Satanus

Seems plausible. While the current fad is against eugenics, the strong desire in parents to have the best kids that they can will probably gain ascendency, when the technology is there for the using.

S

joelingeorgia

we, as all living things, will do anything to give our genes a better change of survival.

its all about the replicators.

BurnTheShips

Yes we will. Absolutely. If we can eliminate genetic disease, why wouldn't we?

BTS

frankiespeakin

Evolution of the human spiecies could split off into many directions. It does boggle the mind as to what the out come will be 100 or a 1000 years from now.

BurnTheShips

Humanity is currently more than 6 billion different species. Don't fear the future.

BTS

jonathanconway

I don't see a huge future for eugenics.

Mainly because biological evolution is such a slow process - think about how long it takes to fall pregnant and raise a child, and multiply that over many hundreds of generations and you're looking at several centuries.

Whereas techniques like gene therapy can repair and enhance existing human bodies within a matter of decades.

We can expect to see nano-technology that maintains our red blood cells within the next 20 years, given the predictions of the technological singularity.

Midget-Sasquatch

The only thing I find unsettling about such a future is the likelihood of the same old story of the haves and have-nots. Up till now, it wasn't totally hopeless. There was always a shot open to a very poor but extremely sharp-witted person to make gains against some of the less gifted people born with silver spoons in their mouth. Hooray for genes!

However if the rich can ensure better genes in their own circle, is a "Gattaca" like world inevitable?

frankiespeakin

MS,

I quite agree that the rich will have the clear advantage, which could leave a greater gap between the haves and the have nots.

Elsewhere

Humans have been bioengineering their children ever sense males and females began to choose their mates based on the traits they could perceive.

Human clones have existed for as long as twins have existed.

Will We in the Future Bioengineer Our Children?

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