Originally Posted by FrenchBoy
I think you need to make the distinction between those that have merely suffered an injury and those that are carrying a genetic fault.
Clearly, advocating the removal of someone who would otherwise be of benefit to the gene pool based on the misfortune of injury is counterproductive. |
Originally Posted by OllyK
That's fine as long as a genetic defect didn't contribute to the "accident", broken leg due to falling down stairs in part due to a genetic eye defect resulting in a lesser ability to judge distance etc. Bit of a ficle example, but you get the idea!
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So the next thing to think about is:
does genetic improvement necessarily lead to an improved quality of life? Obviously it does to those that are suffering from genetic defects but the fact is that our lives can also improve in the way that we lead them - as a soceity - ie. caring for the sick, looking out for those who suffer from misfortunes etc. Genetic improvement isn't the only way forward in order for us to advance as a race/species. Personally i think throwing off the shackles of religion and superstition would be of more benefit but thats a whole other argument! ;) |
Is it possible that the human race has now evolved past the point of genetic selection of physical attributes?
What I'm getting at is that 100,000s of year ago human had to have certain physical strengths in order to survive. These strengths were persisted through natural selection. However nowadays we are increasingly living in a world where it is 'knowledge' are keeping us alive. Knowledge in the form of science, medicine, technology, etc., and it is this knowledge that undergoes a form of natural selection in order to ensure survival of the human race. Or maybe not? |
Originally Posted by FrenchBoy
So the next thing to think about is:
does genetic improvement necessarily lead to an improved quality of life? Obviously it does to those that are suffering from genetic defects but the fact is that our lives can also improve in the way that we lead them - as a soceity - ie. caring for the sick, looking out for those who suffer from misfortunes etc. Genetic improvement isn't the only way forward in order for us to advance as a race/species. Personally i think throwing off the shackles of religion and superstition would be of more benefit but thats a whole other argument! ;) |
Originally Posted by Andrew Dixon
Is it possible that the human race has now evolved past the point of genetic selection of physical attributes?
What I'm getting at is that 100,000s of year ago human had to have certain physical strengths in order to survive. These strengths were persisted through natural selection. However nowadays we are increasingly living in a world where it is 'knowledge' are keeping us alive. Knowledge in the form of science, medicine, technology, etc., and it is this knowledge that undergoes a form of natural selection in order to ensure survival of the human race. Or maybe not? We are artifically sustaining genetic defects that deterimental rather than beneficial. Consider something like Asthma (OK not confirmed as genetic, but suspected). Without treatement an asthma sufferer stands a good chance of having a severe attack that may well kill them. In so doing it removes them from the gene pool and prevents that gene from propogating. Now it may well be that it will always re-occur due to mutation or due to the breeding of 2 carriers for example. However, sufferers are far more likely if not certain to pass the defect on than a carrier in a form that it is apparent rather than dormant carrier. So by keeping this person in the gene pool we increase the chance of an increased number of suffers in the next generation. If this goes unchecked, in enough time everybody will be asthmatic. OK we can treat it, but would we not be better removing the genes that cause it from the gene pool, which is what natural selection would do. OK, not suggestion a cull of Asthmatics (the Mrs wouldn't be too happy for a start :D ) but the same applies to all the other genetic diseases. |
Originally Posted by OllyK
In the short term that is true, but in the long time we must adapt to the environment or we will perish. The dinosaurs were not able to adapt fast enough and look what happened to them.
But we're getting picky now as i dont see a lot of difference between our views. :D |
Originally Posted by FrenchBoy
I dont think genetic adaptation would be an effective solution to any environmental problems/pressures we face. Any solution to those problems will have to be scientific/lifestyle based (if you believe that there is anything we can actually do about the environment - again thats another argument).
But we're getting picky now as i dont see a lot of difference between our views. :D |
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