The Evolution of Man

[Ironside]

If people can choose their children in this way, most would choose very identical genes in some fields, according to what is fashion at the moment, and not after what is good. Today, we have removal of <1% by ultrasound etc., this is to compensate for the increased rate of Down's syndrome etc. occuring because western women have children at higher ages, when the risk of these diseases are higher. However, if we were to increase the rejection percentage to perhaps 5%, or 50%, that would be very much like genocide IMHO.

That is one of the uncertainy factors, it might not be needed at all if genetical repiaring or replacing bercome possible

Additionally, if one person starts this, all others would have short term disadvantage out of not doing this, with the result that the value of human beings goes through an inflation. I don't think it's fantasy, to believe that it's likely these genetically engineered "ubermenschen" will soon feel like such, and try to get privileges over the normal humans.

Also one possibillity and if combined with the future risk of getting too little jobs to get the entire population employed it could be a very violative one. It can also happen that choosing methods remains more or less as it is today, but that humanity itself is taking a great leap "forward".

Additionally, does it really promote survival of the human species, if we replace the human species individuals with engineered machines that are, after a few generations, nothing like humans from a genetical perspective, and no longer willing to preserve/recreate the human species, but only to preserve what they have become, or what they're trying to turn themselves into?

The question is are they human or not? If not, at what point did they stop being human? Are they then descandants of humanity? Would this be acceptable by natural human evolution, so it's only the rapid speed this changes appear that is scary? If you engineer the entire human race, is Homo Sapiens dead then? If you time-travel and doesn't really see any difference between you and these genetically engineered humans, does it matter?
Is it natually bad to change into something different?

A similar event took place in Rwanada, when from a single population people with certain properties were elected to become Tutsis, and others to become Hutus. Suddenly, one population group had become two "races", that took turns genociding each other. I don't know if we would see the same result from genetical engineering, but I wouldn't rule out the risk.

I would certainly not recommend creating different sub-species for humanity for the above reasons, but it would still create some interesting situations.

Genetical engineering has potential to solve some medical problems, but it is also a Pandora's box. Personally, I think it's one of the most dangerous field of research man has attempted since the invention of nuclear weapons.

I would say nuclear energy (including weapons), it can be a very powerful tool that can go horribly, horribly wrong.
The doomday scenarios is the doomsday virus and evolving beyond humanity for extiction, but social conflicts caused by genetical engineering can certainly be a causing factor (but that's indirect).


Oh and another possible human evolution field is the MMI (mind-machine interface, the cyborg style) that has about the same benefits and issues as genetical engineering, but also contains the part of being impossible(?) to have an easy passing through the generations.