Rethinking our human design

February 27, 2018

The recent movie Blade Runner 2049 paints a dystopian picture of a future full of genetically modified humans with enhanced physical and cognitive capabilities. While the movie is set in the distant future, we could ask how far away this future really is. The debate on human enhancement becomes urgent and real with the recent advancement in successful gene editing in viable human embryos.

Our observations

  • In August this year, American scientists successfully repaired a genetic disease in an embryo. And even though CRISPR, the method they used, is controversial, it is nevertheless allowed in several countries.
  • CRISPR is a genome editing tool that can be used to repair genetic diseases in an embryo, such as Huntington’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and Duchenne’s disease, and can in time also serve as an enhancement tool. Advances in human enhancement have multiple frontiers, take, for example, advances in research on longevity.
  • Although she acknowledges the advantages of fixing illnesses, one of the inventors of CRISPR, Jennifer Doudna, is not only positive about the progress. She finds the prospect of creating superhumans disturbing and is of the opinion that the broader public should first discuss the ethics.
  • Genome editing implies a change in human control over the biological world, and, as we noted earlier, various applications are possible in crops and livestock, industrial biotechnology, biomedicine, and human reproduction.
  • Genome editing techniques get faster, simpler, and cheaper. For $159, you can buy a CRISPR kit online and use it to engineer stronger gut bacteria at home.

Connecting the dots

The latest advances in genetic engineering, and CRISPR in particular, lead to a heated debate that ranges from dystopian fear to a utopian embrace of this new step towards designing “better” humans. Countries respond differently to the technique of editing the human genome. Before the success of the American scientists, Chinese scientists had already tried to edit human embryos a few times, as the issue is considered less controversial there. In the Netherlands, the debate is dictated by cautiousness about the risks and consequences, but simultaneously the country does not want to lose its position as a “kennisland”. How to decide whether it is desirable to edit the human genome?Because of its broader implications, the fact that CRISPR can eliminate diseases does not necessarily suffice to accept the method. CRISPR has its known and unknown risks and unknown effects on future generations. The current human genome is an outcome of evolution and has functions of which many are still unknown to us. Editing the genome can have unforeseen consequences. The human genome can be regarded as our common heritage and also that of future generations, and it is questionable whether a small number of scientists should be allowed to make any changes. The more immediate ethical principles at stake are for example: are we allowed to edit humans (embryos) when they cannot give us their consent?More generally, allowing any controversial technology to fix specific and urgent problems, e.g. life-threatening diseases, is always a slippery slope. Viagra was initially meant to fix a medical condition, erectile dysfunction, but is nowadays widely sold as a commercial solution to enhance libido. Genetically modified food promised that it could solve world hunger, but so far it has mostly led to the commercial success of a handful of big food corporations.We know that new inventions, like In-vitro Fertilization (IVF), are often welcomed with skepticism and dystopian images like the creation of Übermenschen. Over time, however, they change from freaky to familiar. It is often an illusion that we can really stop innovations. History suggests that we should embrace these advances and steer them in a favorable direction by updating the existing regulations, by discussing the requirements and limitations of the technique, and by informing the public early on, so that they can change their ideas and do not feel left behind. The replicants in Blade Runner are considered machines that are “owned” by one big corporation. The movie shows us a dark scenario of future generations of human enhancement, and its replicants force us to think about them before they will come into existence.

Implications

  • More research on the risks of, and new regulations on, human genome editing are needed.
  • Broader applications in health care and life sciences.

Series 'AI Metaphors'

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1. The tool
Category: the object
Humans shape tools.

We make them part of our body while we melt their essence with our intentions. They require some finesse to use but they never fool us or trick us. Humans use tools, tools never use humans.

We are the masters determining their course, integrating them gracefully into the minutiae of our everyday lives. Immovable and unyielding, they remain reliant on our guidance, devoid of desire and intent, they remain exactly where we leave them, their functionality unchanging over time.

We retain the ultimate authority, able to discard them at will or, in today's context, simply power them down. Though they may occasionally foster irritation, largely they stand steadfast, loyal allies in our daily toils.

Thus we place our faith in tools, acknowledging that they are mere reflections of our own capabilities. In them, there is no entity to venerate or fault but ourselves, for they are but inert extensions of our own being, inanimate and steadfast, awaiting our command.
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2. The machine
Category: the object
Unlike a mere tool, the machine does not need the guidance of our hand, operating autonomously through its intricate network of gears and wheels. It achieves feats of motion that surpass the wildest human imaginations, harboring a power reminiscent of a cavalry of horses. Though it demands maintenance to replace broken parts and fix malfunctions, it mostly acts independently, allowing us to retreat and become mere observers to its diligent performance. We interact with it through buttons and handles, guiding its operations with minor adjustments and feedback as it works tirelessly. Embodying relentless purpose, laboring in a cycle of infinite repetition, the machine is a testament to human ingenuity manifested in metal and motion.
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3. The robot
Category: the object
There it stands, propelled by artificial limbs, boasting a torso, a pair of arms, and a lustrous metallic head. It approaches with a deliberate pace, the LED bulbs that mimic eyes fixating on me, inquiring gently if there lies any task within its capacity that it may undertake on my behalf. Whether to rid my living space of dust or to fetch me a chilled beverage, this never complaining attendant stands ready, devoid of grievances and ever-willing to assist. Its presence offers a reservoir of possibilities; a font of information to quell my curiosities, a silent companion in moments of solitude, embodying a spectrum of roles — confidant, servant, companion, and perhaps even a paramour. The modern robot, it seems, transcends categorizations, embracing a myriad of identities in its service to the contemporary individual.
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4. Intelligence
Category: the object
We sit together in a quiet interrogation room. My questions, varied and abundant, flow ceaselessly, weaving from abstract math problems to concrete realities of daily life, a labyrinthine inquiry designed to outsmart the ‘thing’ before me. Yet, with each probe, it responds with humanlike insight, echoing empathy and kindred spirit in its words. As the dialogue deepens, my approach softens, reverence replacing casual engagement as I ponder the appropriate pronoun for this ‘entity’ that seems to transcend its mechanical origin. It is then, in this delicate interplay of exchanging words, that an unprecedented connection takes root that stirs an intense doubt on my side, am I truly having a dia-logos? Do I encounter intelligence in front of me?
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5. The medium
Category: the object
When we cross a landscape by train and look outside, our gaze involuntarily sweeps across the scenery, unable to anchor on any fixed point. Our expression looks dull, and we might appear glassy-eyed, as if our eyes have lost their function. Time passes by. Then our attention diverts to the mobile in hand, and suddenly our eyes light up, energized by the visual cues of short videos, while our thumbs navigate us through the stream of content. The daze transforms, bringing a heady rush of excitement with every swipe, pulling us from a state of meditative trance to a state of eager consumption. But this flow is pierced by the sudden ring of a call, snapping us again to a different kind of focus. We plug in our earbuds, intermittently shutting our eyes, as we withdraw further from the immediate physical space, venturing into a digital auditory world. Moments pass in immersed conversation before we resurface, hanging up and rediscovering the room we've left behind. In this cycle of transitory focus, it is evident that the medium, indeed, is the message.
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6. The artisan
Category: the human
The razor-sharp knife rests effortlessly in one hand, while the other orchestrates with poised assurance, steering clear of the unforgiving edge. The chef moves with liquid grace, with fluid and swift movements the ingredients yield to his expertise. Each gesture flows into the next, guided by intuition honed through countless repetitions. He knows what is necessary, how the ingredients will respond to his hand and which path to follow, but the process is never exactly the same, no dish is ever truly identical. While his technique is impeccable, minute variation and the pursuit of perfection are always in play. Here, in the subtle play of steel and flesh, a master chef crafts not just a dish, but art. We're witnessing an artisan at work.
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About the author(s)

Researcher Julia Rijssenbeek focuses on our relationship to nature, sustainable and technological transitions in the food system, and the geopolitics of our global food sytems. She is currently working on her PhD in philosophy of technology at Wageningen University, investigating how synthetic biology might alter philosophical ideas about nature and the values we hold, as well as what a bio-based future may bring.

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