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Originally Posted by Hakahura
Just finished an excellent book.
"Next" by Michael Crichton
I would recommend it to anyone.
A fast paced read delving into the world of Genetic Engineering.
This is no Jurassic Park or Lost World though.
The book seems far nearer to the technology of today to me.
Far scarier and more thought provoking than dinosaurs.
The narrative is multi-layered with many separate plot lines combining at the climax.
Impossible to read without wondering what is going on behind closed laborotory doors.
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What man can do, he will do. For he always did what could be done - for better and for worse. that will be true with genetics, too, and: for better and for worse again. We cannot resist bein carried away with the stream. We can only - within limitations - chnage our relative attitude to the currents, and the rocky beach, and maybe make our travel a less rough one.
Lets not forget that mankind no longer is subject to the natural mechanism of genetic evolution as it once has been for long period of times. Random mutations do not play a role anymore. Changes in the genepool have one precondtion: small, isolated population forming them out. but on our planet, we do not have small isolated populations anymore. Also, changes are being implemented into the general genetic design of a species, if they give an advantage in mating and reproducing. This again is no longer valid for us - we can reach everybody, and can mate and reproduce with literally everybody. the only advantage is: money, and that is not created under your skin for your genes have created a money-producing organ.
Environmental challenges now come so fast to us that again there is not the tens of thousands of years time that it needs to implement a genetic adaptation to changing environments. So, man is left to put his evolution on the next level: to artifically evolute himself by will and intention, adapting to new or changed environments by making technology and science his way of evolutional adaptation, and using genetics to change himself. Hybrids are alredy created. Chimaeras, man-animal combinations will be created. Designer-Babies - they will come.
Like it or not. Wonder and horror, benefit and abuse - our descendants will see both. And some things some of us will even see with their own living eyes.
Sometimes I think Science Fiction is just a myth, and all that makes it different is not content, but time.
recommended read on these issues: "Neverness" by David Zindell.