genetic engineering and devolution

[joe246]

devolution is a symptom of civilized society it is the disruption and gradual degeneration of our species do to the disruption of survival of the fittest. genetic engineering could solve this problem without resorting to racist eugenics

 

[Gardener]

We are Devo!

 

[digsbe]

What do you mean by devolution? Are you suggesting that our bodies will genetically atrophy because of technology?

 

[Slartibartfast]

What do you mean by devolution? Are you suggesting that our bodies will genetically atrophy because of technology?

The idea is that genetic mutations happen all the times, whether it is due to infection, copy errors, radiation, or whatever, there are cells in your body that are altering DNA this very minute. If there is no survival pressure, than the unhelpful mutations are not going to be weeded out, which will lead to an increase in problems over time.

My thought on this issue is that the majority of the world population lives in dangerous conditions, unlike those in more advanced countries, so there still are survival pressures happening every day and there is no real cause for concern.

 

[joe246]

We are Devo!

to be fair devo got me thinking about it

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

The idea is that genetic mutations happen all the times, whether it is due to infection, copy errors, radiation, or whatever, there are cells in your body that are altering DNA this very minute. If there is no survival pressure, than the unhelpful mutations are not going to be weeded out, which will lead to an increase in problems over time.

My thought on this issue is that the majority of the world population lives in dangerous conditions, unlike those in more advanced countries, so there still are survival pressures happening every day and there is no real cause for concern.

I agree that this is the state of man for now.

In the future I think it may be a problem.
IVF I believe can be a contributor to this.

 

[Slartibartfast]

I agree that this is the state of man for now.

In the future I think it may be a problem.
IVF I believe can be a contributor to this.

I believe there are two possible conclusions.
1. Either christianity is true and judgement will happen before this really becomes a concern
2. Ray Kurzweil is correct and will become amorphous computer/nonobot entities within the next few hundred years and it still won't be a concern.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

I believe there are two possible conclusions.
1. Either christianity is true and judgement will happen before this really becomes a concern
2. Ray Kurzweil is correct and will become amorphous computer/nonobot entities within the next few hundred years and it still won't be a concern.

Don't know about 1 and think 2 is a bit further off than a few hundred years.

Option 3 still exists to amplify Darwinist type evolution, global catastrophe.
1st worlders would be the most hurt by such a scenario I think.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Don't know about 1 and think 2 is a bit further off than a few hundred years.

Option 3 still exists to amplify Darwinist type evolution, global catastrophe.
1st worlders would be the most hurt by such a scenario I think.

I think any possible devolution will take a few thousand. But given the rate at which technlogy is moving, I wouldn't be surprised if we were more than human within the next 500 years or so, maybe not fully nanobot, but certainly not the same as we are now.

Option 3 is always a possibility.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

devolution is a symptom of civilized society it is the disruption and gradual degeneration of our species do to the disruption of survival of the fittest.

I'd say that it isn't our fault that evolution currently favors religious lunatics and people too stupid to use birth control effectively... but it really is our fault. If responsible adults were willing to have as many children as slack-jawed morons do, dysgenic breeding wouldn't be a problem in civilized societies.

genetic engineering could solve this problem without resorting to racist eugenics

Eugenics doesn't have to be racist. In fact, the most effective eugenics programs would likely encourage interracial breeding.

 

[joe246]

I'd say that it isn't our fault that evolution currently favors religious lunatics and people too stupid to use birth control effectively... but it really is our fault. If responsible adults were willing to have as many children as slack-jawed morons do, dysgenic breeding wouldn't be a problem in civilized societies.



Eugenics doesn't have to be racist. In fact, the most effective eugenics programs would likely encourage interracial breeding.

yes but forced sterilization for retarded people isn't liked in liberal society. the same one that dislikes executing murderers or torturing terrorists.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

yes but forced sterilization for retarded people isn't liked in liberal society.

On the other hand, paying them if they volunteer to be sterilized only offends some of the liberals. Besides, I'm much more interested in positive eugenics-- trying to ensure that desirable traits are spread.