Remaking Humans: The New Utopians Versus a Truly Human Future

The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity ^ | August 29, 2003 | C. Ben Mitchell and John F. Kilner

[cpforlife.org]

Please let me know if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

[concerned about politics]

If the nineteenth century was the age of the machine and the twentieth century the information age, this century is, by most accounts, the age of biotechnology.

Well, this is the age of the new, unexplainable, incurable infectionist liberal plagues.
I don't think technology will help them. Even a machine can't stop suicidal deathstyle choices.
If they want to be liberals and die a horrable agonizing death , so be it.
Forget the machine to save them. It ain't gonna happen.

[mamelukesabre]

That kevin warwick is a quack. He seems like an old hippy just looking for a new drug.

His whole purpose is to simulate emotions or sensations via electronic impulses from a computer directly to a human nervous system. He hopes to do this by having a computer "record" the signals in his nervous system when he is experiencing a sensation or emotion of some kind, and then at a later date "play back" the recording and transmit it into his nerves via computer cable and see if he relives the experience that he had while making the recording.

I suspect he is trying to "record" an orgasm or a drug high so he can play it back and experience it without actually doing it....a techno-hippy, that's all he is. He's replaced the needle with a computer wire.

If they ever do start altering genes of people and letting people choose the genes of their future children, all they will do with this technology is use it for cosmetic purposes. Everyone will have babies that look like fabio or whatsername, that blond trailer trash bimbo from baywatch that married a tattooed rock star and claims to have contracted hepC from him somehow.

[concerned about politics]

. His whole purpose is to simulate emotions or sensations via electronic impulses from a computer directly to a human nervous system. He hopes to do this by having a computer "record" the signals in his nervous system when he is experiencing a sensation or emotion of some kind, and then at a later date "play back" the recording and transmit it into his nerves via computer cable and see if he relives the experience that he had while making the recording.

"They will cry out for death in those days."
Where the human soul becomes part of the machine.
Add that to the new 666 computer chip, and humans are in BIG trouble.
Imagine a facist leader with that kind of power over the people.

[balrog666]

Slap-a-label-on-them-and-then-dismiss-them philosophy ping.

[Johnbalaya]

Gattaca is a great movie about a possible consequence to genegeneering.

As far as Utopia is concerned it depends on what people think Utopia should be. I do think that we'll come to a point in this century where no one will go hungry, due to advances in agriculture and biotechnology in that field and the standard of living will come to a point where basic necessities will be met at minimal cost.

The question is, what problems of cultural significance will we face in the future?

[PatrickHenry]

PING. [This ping list is for the evolution side of evolution threads, and sometimes for other science topics. FReepmail me to be added or dropped.]

[PatrickHenry]

From the article: Each of these technologies will require laws or policies to regulate or in some cases (such as cloning a human being) outlaw their use.

I'm glad the author wasn't around when the steam engine, light bulb and telephone were being invented.

[First Amendment]

All utopian philosophies are based on envy of God. The soul craves perfection, this desire is innate in the very deepest core of the soul's existence. If a human rejects God, thereby not directing this very real need for perfect love and life to Him, they of necessity direct this legitimate desire for perfection into the limited world. And this creates the worst hell. They wind up playing God, but without His perfect wisdom and love, and can only destroy, and impair what He creates.
I can only hope that these madmen quit while they are ahead, or that circumstances...(?) stop them. Reminds me of the Tower of Babel and Icarus and his wings of wax.

Phsycical or mental perfection (not that it can even exist) will never make a person happy. Only loving surrender and loving service to the Supreme Being will fill the deepest emptiness in every person's heart. These "smart fools" are farther away from real wisdom than an illiterate peasant who somehow has simple faith in the existence of God.

[WackyKat]

Christians opposed to scientific advancement; who would have thought it?
100 years from now most Christians will have accommodated themselves to Transhumanism through some process of rationalization- the rest will look as backward as Creationists do today.

[Hajman]

Christians opposed to scientific advancement; who would have thought it?

Just because something's possible, doesn't mean it should be done. There's moral implications to applying science to modify humanity.

-The Hajman-

[MHGinTN]

Placemarker ping

[visualops]

resistance is futile

[Hank Kerchief]

Thanks for the ping balrog666

My take on all such conjecture is what I call secular Gamalielism. If you don't know who Gamaliel was, find a Bible and read Acts 5:35-39.

If these guys are right and successfully pull off their schemes, everyone will live forever, no one will ever get sick, and everyone will be happy. Who will complain about that? If they are wrong, they are wrong, and nothing they are dreaming about will ever happen. So what is everyone worried about?

Hank

[realpatriot71]

So we should neglect technology and the possibilities that it has for man because why exactly?

[Consort]

It looks like Dystopians will dominate.

[Physicist]

Old thread along the same lines: Our Biotech Future.

[RLK]

I am totally against the remaking or genetic engineering of humans. If we remake or re-engineer humans the same way we have remade and re-engineered our educational system, toward the lowest possible common denominator, we will be in deep cesspool with a world full of cromanums. The same people will be directing both processes.

[fatima]

Bump for life.