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Humans to become masters
of their own evolution? Bioengineers will likely control the future of humans as a species. by Jane Bosveld From the March 2009 issue, published online February 2, 2009 http://discovermagazine.com/2009/mar/02-evolution-by-intelligent-design - - - Excerpts: ... breakthroughs could bring on an age of directed reproduc- tion and evolution in which humans will bypass the incremental process of natural selection and set off on a high-speed genetic course of their own. Here are some of the latest and greatest advances. Embryos From the Palm of Your Hand In as little as five years, scientists may be able to create sperm and egg cells from any cell in the body ... The technique could ... enable one person to provide both sperm and egg for an offspring ... The ... prediction comes in the wake of recent news that scien- tists ... have transformed adult human skin cells into pluripotent stem cells, the powerhouse cells that can self-replicate (perhaps indefinitely) and develop into almost any kind of cell in the body. In evolutionary terms, the ability to change one type of cell into others-including a sperm or egg cell, or even an embryo-means that humans can now wrest control of reproduction away from nature ... "With this breakthrough we now have a working technology whereby anyone can pass on their genes to a child by using just a few skin cells." ... Gene Targeting When we create egg and sperm on demand, we may not have to pass along our complement of genes as is. A process known as homologous recombination could allow us to remove unde- sirable traits and replace them with helpful ones, one gene at a time. ... homologous recombination can also be achieved in the lab. By selectively adding or deleting stretches of DNA in the (artificially) fertilized cell, scientists could knock out genes for a disease like diabetes or insert genes coding for extra height or intelligence. Artificial Chromosomes Changing an offspring's DNA gene by gene can be tedious. A speedier route would be to introduce a multiplicity of new traits all at once by inserting an entire new chromosome, a structured strand of DNA containing many genes. ... [researchers] are now conducting the foundational research needed to build functional artificial chromosomes. ... the synthetic chromosome could even- tually be used to shuttle genes like a kind of Trojan horse. Some of those genes, he speculates, could convert ordinary cells into stem cells that might reseed the immune system, aid in reju- venation, and more. ... "Based on what we know, the artificial chromosome is going to be the best way to modify the genome." ... "Nature doesn't care about individual children. Instead of rolling the dice, why don't we take the dice and put them down in the way that parents think is best for their children." He anticipates the development of specialized artificial chromo- somes-a "good health" artificial chromosome, for instance-that could routinely be inserted into human embryos. "You could create a generic version that has lots of good genes like the ones known to protect against cancer, strokes, and heart disease." ... Our Post-Darwinian Future Pluripotent stem cells, gene targeting, and artificial chromosomes could leapfrog over evolution and let us take control of our genome, maybe even turn ourselves into a whole new species. "There is no scientific basis for thinking that we couldn't." ... ... achieving our potential "might require some deliberate changes" to our genes. He predicts that genetic engineering will eventually lead to what he calls "enhancement evolution." Through the nuanced use of biotechnology, enhancement evolution will gradually introduce genes that improve the species, one person at a time. At that point, deliberate selection will replace natural selec- tion as the driving force for species change. "We are not suited to survive designed as we are." ... "We are hugely vulnerable to diseases, and new diseases come along all the time. It's amazing we haven't been entirely wiped out by one." ... Enhancement evolution ... Who should have the final say on when and how the human genome should be changed? ... if technology can enable us to eliminate disease and disabilities from our children or insert genes that might make them smarter or better looking, why wouldn't we use it? As DNA guru James Watson once said, "Evolution can be just damn cruel." At least it is today. Tomorrow the responsibility for evolution may rest on our own shoulders-for better or for worse. - - - end excerpts - - - - - - In response, someone wrote: > "...inventors of evil things..." Romans 1:29 Surely, the parts of the post that referred to the following would be welcome by all who advocate the best life possible by elimiminating anti-human maladies and favoring pro-human progress in this one and only certain chance we have it (pertinent excerpts from previous post follow, and in religious terms, don't you think that the Jesus of the gospels would be actively in favor of eliminating disease and enhancing human welfare): ... A process known as homologous recombination could allow us to remove undesirable traits and replace them with helpful ones, one gene at a time. ... By selectively adding or deleting stretches of DNA in the (artificially) fertilized cell, scientists could knock out genes for a disease like diabetes or insert genes coding for extra height or intelli- gence. ... "Nature doesn't care about individual children. Instead of rolling the dice, why don't we take the dice and put them down in the way that parents think is best for their children." He anticipates the development of specialized arti- ficial chromosomes-a "good health" artificial chrom- osome, for instance-that could routinely be inserted into human embryos. "You could create a generic version that has lots of good genes like the ones known to protect against cancer, strokes, and heart disease." ... ... achieving our potential "might require some deliberate changes" to our genes. He predicts that genetic engineering will eventually lead to what he calls "enhancement evolution." Through the nuanced use of biotechnology, en- hancement evolution will gradually introduce genes that improve the species, one person at a time. At that point, deliberate selection will replace natural selection as the driving force for species change. "We are not suited to survive designed as we are." ... "We are hugely vulnerable to diseases, and new diseases come along all the time. It's amazing we haven't been entirely wiped out by one." ... ... if technology can enable us to eliminate disease and disabilities from our children or insert genes that might make them smarter or better looking, why wouldn't we use it? ... - - - end excerpts - - - - - - In response, someone wrote: > The only hope Humanism offers is a band-aid solution > that leads to wrath, because you haven't trusted Jesus > to save you from your sin. Humanism leads to wrath? Humanism is, strictly speaking, not related to religious status. Many religious folks are very much into helping humans in this life, curing diseases, technologically overcoming naturalistic threats/risks, and endeavoring to make this one and only certain chance at it last as long and pleasantly as possible for as many as possible. Many non-religious folks are into that, too. - - - Someone wrote: > God's solution for the corruption that sin caused all his > creation is fervent heat. Myth, anti-human myth. - - - Someone wrote: > You're whole lives are spent swimming around in a the > corrupted cess pool looking for ways to mitigate the septic > effects, but eventually you must succomb. Then what? > Judgement. Please, your messages of anti-humanism spell out in no uncertain terms why the anti-human parts of reli- gions remain as a risk to human welfare in this one and only certain opportunity to experience life. An evil God is not an appealing prospect, for anyone, and that is the picture that the anti-human cheerleaders of religions continue to threaten us with. Sad, that, and until the religious depart from the ple- thora of threats and anti-humanism profuse through- out the ancient religious documents, humans will remain at risk for acts of reliigous insanity, like those committed by religious followers who murder in the name of their interpretation of the ancient concepts of an anti-human God. - - - |
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