Do Humans Have a Moral Duty to Improve the Species?
source: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/05/enhancing-evolu.html
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- DeliaTheArtist
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If it is right to save life, Harris says, then it should also be right to postpone death by stemming the flow of diseases that carry us to the grave. And we should make any such technology available as soon as we can, even if it means there will be some “haves” and “have-nots”.
“Certainly, sometimes we want competitive advantage – but for the enhancements I talk about, the competitive advantage is not the prime motive. I didn’t give my son (Jacob, to whom the book is dedicated) a good diet in the hope that others eat a bad diet and die prematurely. I’m happy if everyone has a good diet. The moral imperative should be that enhancements are generally available because they are good for everyone.” The only other route to equality, he says, is to level down so that everyone is as uneducated, unhealthy and unenhanced as the lowest in society – which is unethical. Even though we can’t offer a liver transplant to all who need them, he says, we still carry them out for the lucky few. Much better to try to raise the baseline, even if some are left behind.”
For Harris, having the ability to improve our species lot in life but refusing to do so, makes little sense. He has a difficult time understanding why some people are so insistent that we shouldn’t try to improve upon human evolution.
“Can you imagine our ape ancestors getting together and saying, ‘This is pretty good, guys. Let’s stop it right here!’. That’s the equivalent of what people say today.”
A lot more at link, what do you think? Are we responsible for each other?
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theultimateend
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While morality is a term that itself should be put to death I'd have to say that if you care about your kids (or future kids) you'd make sure you'll be a good parent.
First get checked for any major diseases, then examine your lifestyle and the income + free time you have.
If you look at all these and other variables and feel confident, then baby it up I say.
Unfortunately people don't do this most times, they just slap on the genital to genital action and about 5 children in realize they couldn't take care of one.
It's sad, has little to me to do with the craptastic term of morality, but watching a species slowly reach critical numbers of deadly diseases that could easily be routed is a shame.
- 3 years ago
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theultimateend
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masterzip
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no moral duty,..thats why we have hillbillies
- 3 years ago
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masterzip
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stopnoise
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Not all but many humans still primitive in their thinking and in their actions. It is the same as hypothetical picking up a pre-historic personality and bring her or him to this time and space with all our technology. The resulted from that it is confusion and chaos. One of my favor subject of study it is child psychology and spirituality and the truth is that not all but most humans are highly selfish, greedy and possessive. There are solutions for that but many get soaked in their own blindness and therefore develops an attitude that consequently diminishes their own growth in life. Too bad that when they finally realizes that they were wrong; if they ever do; usually it is too late and they are about to die and transcend to the other side.
- 3 years ago
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stopnoise
