Bioengineering and evolution

[evil^milk]

Let's say that in n years, we have the technology to make us physically and mentally stronger. We can make it so we're born with 8 fingers instead of 5; we can have children with a person of the same sex; we have infrared vision, or are able to see things in slow motion; et al - all due to advances in genetic engineering and things like that.

Would you advocate for a human being to modify evolution's "natural" course, or would you be in favor of evolving faster?

 

[Dog--]

We should make it go faster. I can't wait thousands of years for this cool stuff to happen! I want 3 penises NOW, god dammit.

 

[Asknoone]

Faster. Goodbye old age. Bring on technological immortality.

 

[Stigmata]

Mmmmm, eight fingers.

I mean - mmmmm, immortality.

 

[Ennui]

I'd rather evolve personally, I already played Bioshock.

 

[Tagaziel]

Of course forced evolution.

Hell, anything that makes me immortal and preserves my age is good in my book.

 

[Stigmata]

I'd rather evolve personally, I already played Bioshock.

So you want to not evolve at all?

 

[evil^milk]

How far are we from something like this btw?

 

[Stigmata]

Depends on what you want to change and how you want to change it. Minor biogenetic or technological enhancements could be 15-20 years off, major changes (i.e. immortality, replacement organs, major organ/bodily enhancement) are probably 30-50 years off.

 

[Saturos]

I like the idea of having enhanced vision, strength, and sharpened memory capacity via biomodifications/nanotechnology, but the idea of having three penises and a set of reproductive organs from both sexes sounds a little disturbing to me, so I have mixed feelings. Maybe there should be one more option to that poll somewhere. Not sure what it should be though.:stare:

 

[Majestic XII]

I'm totally going to get immortality when it goes on sale.

 

[Wanted Bob]

I dunno. Immortality is cool and everything, but I wonder whether it would be better to evolve naturally, since we have no idea what "unforseen consequences" could arise...

Im undecided.

 

[TheDan]

And what happens when people become immortal? What do you think would happen when babies are being born but less people are dying?

 

[Saturos]

I dunno. Immortality is cool and everything, but I wonder whether it would be better to evolve naturally, since we have no idea what "unforseen consequences" could arise...

Im undecided.

True, It'd be wise to wait for the technology to evolve before rushing out and getting all modded up. By then, most of us will be to old to give a crap, other than in our diapers. Besides, that kind of modification would only be reserved for the rich anyways.Probably millions per-mod. Are there any rich non-middleclass people here? Thought so. It would also take a great understanding of human genomic mapping and hemoglobin research to master that kind of modification to ensure there are no unwanted side effects. Even then, there'll be the occasional "cancer patient due to modification" stories. Not something I would want to have done at a discount mod shop with a bunch of University dropouts either, that's for sure. So count me out.

 

[Deleted member 56031]

Bioengineering FTW, I want to live forever damn it!

 

[DEATHMASTER]

of course we're going to screw it up if we try bioengineering. Look at how ****ed up the world is right now, it will be used for the wrong deeds inevitably. Just let the shit take it's natural course, it's all nice looking at movies and thinking about it, but it just comes down to what's right. Either way, I suppose I don't care all that much tbh..

 

[Laivasse]

For me, far more interesting than the question of how we can use technology to advance our bodies is the question of how we can use it to advance our minds. I'm not just talking memory enhancements either, or at least not in the mundane sense of being better able to find your car keys.

Just think what it would be like to be able to enhance your mind with technological augmentations. You could have 100 libraries' worth of knowledge ready for retrieval, as if it were all your own memory. Or less farfetched, imagine all the memories and knowledge you've personally accumulated made equally easy to retrieve by some kind of neurological modifications, and with your mind made less susceptible to loss of data through forgetfulness.

We would each become like a walking supercomputer. Civilisation would advance exponentially. We would unravel the biological mechanism behind sentience itself. We'd create artificial intelligence to rival that of the human beings we used to be, and eventually rivalling our new advanced consciousness. We'd overcome all the scientific obstacles which hindered us in the past, allowing us to overcome disease and move off this planet to colonise others. Whatever the internet would have become by then, we'd probably be interfacing with it via a direct neural link, which would provide the possibility for our minds to coagulate into a single overarching consciousness.

Yes ladies and gents, we would become as a GOD.

Or alternatively we might all get turned into mincemeat around the 'artificial intelligence' stage, but that would be cool too.

 

[Cheomesh]

For me, far more interesting than the question of how we can use technology to advance our bodies is the question of how we can use it to advance our minds. I'm not just talking memory enhancements either, or at least not in the mundane sense of being better able to find your car keys.

Just think what it would be like to be able to enhance your mind with technological augmentations. You could have 100 library's worth of knowledge ready for retrieval, as if it were all your own memory. Or less farfetched, imagine all the memories and knowledge you've personally accumulated made equally easy to retrieve by some kind of neurological modifications, and with your mind made less susceptible to loss of data through forgetfulness.

We would each become like a walking supercomputer. Civilisation would advance exponentially. We would unravel the biological mechanism behind sentience itself. We'd create artificial intelligence to rival that of the human beings we used to be, and eventually rivalling our new advanced consciousness. We'd overcome all the scientific obstacles which hindered us in the past, allowing us to overcome disease and move off this planet to colonise others. Whatever the internet would have become by then, we'd probably be interfacing with it via a direct neural link, which would provide the possibility for our minds to coagulate into a single overarching consciousness.

Yes ladies and gents, we would become as a GOD.

Or alternatively we might all get turned into mincemeat around the 'artificial intelligence' stage, but that would be cool too.

Technological Singularity.




As cool as this all sounds, going into this would literally cause our species to go extinct. Only a fool creates technology with the sole purpose of eliminating his entire species. You're not making mankind "better", you're making a new species that is better. We should be users of technology, not technology itself.

And think about it, immortality isn't even all that great in the long run.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Faster. Goodbye old age. Bring on technological immortality.

We'll be like advisors! We'll create our own super empire! We'll be huge physic slugs!


I can't wait. Bio-engineering FTMFW!

Technological Singularity.

:thumbs:

 

[Saturos]

Technological Singularity.




As cool as this all sounds, going into this would literally cause our species to go extinct. Only a fool creates technology with the sole purpose of eliminating his entire species. You're not making mankind "better", you're making a new species that is better. We should be users of technology, not technology itself.

And think about it, immortality isn't even all that great in the long run.

Have you played DeusEX:IW? "Join the Order, Don't become consumed with material wealth and consumerism like so many others. Don't you see? Her Holiness envisions a world where we live in harmony with nature as it was intended. Biomodification violates this natural order and threatens man-kinds very existence. They are endangering themselves, blind to the truth." Or something like that. Or would you rather be a Templar extremist?

 

[Laivasse]

Technological Singularity.




As cool as this all sounds, going into this would literally cause our species to go extinct. Only a fool creates technology with the sole purpose of eliminating his entire species. You're not making mankind "better", you're making a new species that is better. We should be users of technology, not technology itself.

And think about it, immortality isn't even all that great in the long run.

Yep, I know what it's called.

It is our DESTINY, or at least I hope it is. Sure, it might wipe us out in the process, but let's face facts - our species simply isn't going to last forever. Rather than vanish like a damp, quiet fart, why not contribute some form of advancement to the universe, where if we're lucky we might even live on as some form of echo within a higher consciousness? To resist is to prioritise self-preservation above true progress

 

[jverne]

hey the poll results are penis shaped! :rolling:

 

[Cheomesh]

Have you played DeusEX:IW? "Join the Order, Don't become consumed with material wealth and consumerism like so many others. Don't you see? Her Holiness envisions a world where we live in harmony with nature as it was intended. Biomodification violates this natural order and threatens man-kinds very existence. They are endangering themselves, blind to the truth." Or something like that. Or would you rather be a Templar extremist?

No, actually. Though, I guess that's a good stance.

 

[Asknoone]

And think about it, immortality isn't even all that great in the long run.

Lies.

 

[HunterSeeker]

Consider that none of you will get any biomodificiations, all will have to be done pre-birth baring some form of brain/full body transplant and then only limited changes may be done.

Uploading our minds into digital form on the other hand...

 

[Dan]

Bioengineering doesn't preclude evolution. Survival of the fittest still applies to all cases.

 

[simonjedi]

but it'll be survival of the fittest with laser eyes and robot penises and shit like that.

Darwin would be spinning in his grave

 

[Laivasse]

Darwin would be spinning in his grave

Not if we clone him and give him a laser penis!

 

[Jintor]

We've already ****ed up evolution with our magical brains and technology, bioengineering is either the natural evolution of... evolution... or its awesome replacement.

Besides, Bioaugmentations ftw.

 

[Cheomesh]

Yeah, until I find a way to hack your beautiful brain-chip and totally screw you up.


Look, humans have always been dependent on technology, but we've always been "users" of it instead of "hosts" for it. We survived an ice age with spears and fire ffs. If you take all of our "modern technology" away today, our species will find a way to survive. But if you go and create "homo sapiens sapiens automatica", and then take away the tech, the species is extinct.

 

[Jintor]

But we're not doing that. We're adding to ourselves until we are the GLORIOUS TECHNOCRACY IMMORTALUS.

Well maybe not. But we're not exactly going to make it so that every single person has a wifi embedded in their brains.

 

[Cheomesh]

It was a general thought. Again, note what I said about creating homo sapiens sapiens automatica.

 

[Jintor]

Well then the poor people survive I guess? D:

I don't know.

 

[Vegeta897]

You're asking a group of people who are a fan of a sci-fi game?

 

[evil^milk]

Hmm, you're right, I had overlooked that. I bet if I asked some other group of people the poll results would be different...

 

[Saturos]

Consider that none of you will get any biomodificiations, all will have to be done pre-birth baring some form of brain/full body transplant and then only limited changes may be done.

Uploading our minds into digital form on the other hand...

I heard about the theory "uploading one's mind to the internet", but what if a world -wide system crash were too occur? Y3K anyone?

 

[Mr Stabby]

It's a good idea in theory, but will probably end up becoming social-Darwinism

 

[simonjedi]

Did some one say the Adeptus Mechanicus?

 

[Ravioli]

im for it but as long as its limited, as in to make us immune to most viruses etc, increase life span a lil bit, and just make the body live healthier. No radical changes, but just changes that are necessary that will help humanity overall.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Did some one say the Adeptus Mechanicus?

I call first dibs on getting mechadendrites

Anyways, nobody here seems to realise that we stopped evolving a long time ago. Think about it - evolution depends on a good trait appearing, and people without that trait dying off or not reproducing as fast. Due to our grasp on science and stuff, people without the advantageous traits don't die. Therefore, no one mutation spreads to everyone.

-Angry Lawyer