How science can build a better you
November 4, 2012
Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius (Wikimedia Commons)
How far would you go to modify yourself using the latest medical technology?
In a New York Times article Saturday, author and broadcaster David Ewing Duncan offers a partial checklist of cutting-edge medical-technology therapies now under way or in an experimental phase that might lead to future enhancements, including:
Present:
- supermemory or attention pill
- cochlear implant to improve hearing
- brain-boosting neuro-feedback and video games
Future:
- retinal implant
- exoskeleton
- exoskeleton operated from the brain via fiber optic lines embedded under the skin
- drugs that alter enzymes and other proteins associated with genes for, say, speed and endurance or dopamine levels
- re-engineering cells and DNA to eliminate diseases
- grow improved fresh brain, heart or liver cells
Who would get the enhancements, how much twould they cost, and who would gain an advantage over others by using them?
Comments (29)
by JD
Where does anybody get off making decisions for anybody else? Hello!
by JC
I have had good results with Ceretrophin and given it to a few older friends and seen changes in them, such as complex future planning which they had stopped doing. A PDF of study shows good results. You can read/buy it here:http://www.briteagehealth.com/ceretrophin-clinical-study
I use this breakdown of ingredients and just buy the parts at the health food store. Enjoy! Just suggesting supplements so no practicing medicine here.
Ceretrophin daily:
Alpha lipoic acid 400 mg
Vinpocentine 15mg
Huperzine A .15mg
Biotin .5mg
Rhodiola rosea 300mg
Acytl l carnitine1500
by gaoptimize
I also expect attempts to make nootropics illegal, or if not, unfashionable, as certain political interests realize there is a math comprehension level beyond which is incompatible with the status quo.
by Gabriel
I imagine if nootropics become illegal, nothing will truly stop people, especially the politicians, from taking them anyway….hell, maybe a whole new enhancement black-market opens up.
The thing about enhancements is that it has a reception unlike any other — and people will recognize that and probably raise the prices to reflect that….instead of being worried over fundamentalist/luddites/etc, I wonder if people should be more worried about those who will go to any length to enhance themselves and control who gets them.
by Dennis R.
I agree with Gabriel’s last sentence. It’s a control issue for the ones who want to maintain their (perceived) relative social/power position over others. Witness the attempts by some governments to cut off internet access as a fitting punishment for those who are accused (merely accused– not proven guilty in any court of law) of violating copyright on the internet. And yes, I view internet access as a step on the path to enhancement.
Perhaps reproductive rights could be viewed as a parallel issue. A medical technology such as birth control or selective abortion can be made illegal because it conflicts with someone else’s idea of what should be allowed. Access is still allowed for those who can afford it or afford to travel to get it, but for everyone else, it’s either illegal or economically impractical.
by Gabriel
It’s a slippery slope…issues like these, I wonder, are philosophical and bloated only simply because such things don’t actually exist yet…but, if in the real world, things like these became tangible things people can do, I imagine the vast majority of people will greedily take them.
When I’m sick in bed, I’m not thinking to myself “Well, this is natural, I just have to accept it”…the only thing I’m thinking of is, when will this end so I can get back with my life – It’s only now, when I’m healthy, that I can deep-think this and try to see it as a good thing. When enhancements became available to people, I imagine it will be the same…people are not going to go back-and-forth about whether this is a good — they will adopt them aggressively.
Should everyone be careful? Of course…these aren’t decisions to be made lightly, the risks need to be weighted, and we do need to recognize ourselves, how far we want to go, and so on….these are all deep issues that deserve respect — however, as before, the whole ‘enhancement’ thing I feel is made out to be more complicated then it is…ultimately, people are going to have to decide for themselves how far they want to go, as before…..but I don’t personally think it will be a 50/50 thing, but the vast majority of people will (eagerly) enhance themselves — because, again, if a pill was tangibly released to keep people healthier and living longer, people are not really going to philosophically go back-and-forth about whether this is natural or a good thing or not….they will probably pick it up in an instant, and who could blame them.
by gaoptimize
Eagerly awaiting the brain-boosting pill and preparing by actively listening and being kinder and gentler to everyone around me, regardless of intelligence or how informed they are. Nootropics have the danger of exacerbating the “gods and clods” dystopia we are enabling with these advances. Expect a powerful and destructive neo-luddite reaction if we aren’t careful.
by high carbfoods
Those medically in need of devices these are helpful. To the average folks, I wonder what they can do? Improving the quality of care and life of afflicted is a positive step, presumably taken over by these present and predicted devices.
by Nick Brestoff, M.S., J.D.
I ask this question: who/what would we call a former person who incorporated ALL of the available enhancements?
by Marcos Marin
History.
by Gabriel
Um, by their name? I’m confused
by Marcos Marin
You allude to the old joke about how to call an elevator in some exotic language speaking country.. which is surprisingly relevant here: “pushing the button”… this may very well be how we call them, LOL
by Luis
“Present:
supermemory or attention pill”
Ok. Tell me where I could buy them, I need some.
by Ben
Adderall. Either go to your doctor and convince him you have add OR talk to your local dealer.
by Gorden Russell
There are college kids passing these pills around now. I think some of them are using Ritalin.
by Marcos Marin
I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Consider yourself warned.
by Ann
Yes, Mr.X: Eventually we would die – but how long are we capable of living?
by Gorden Russell
We will be able to live until we get bored with life. In time that could happen.
Exploration of the stars could give you something to look forwards to.
by Mr.X
Well, exploration of myself and consuming/creating media would be enough to keep me busy for centuries or more (at least with my current capabilities).
by Mr.X
@Ann: I don’t know.I guess you misunderstood me, peter said curing cancer would be all we need, and I strongly disagree.I think we should defeat aging itself and I think we shouldn’t shy away from improving other parts of our human condition.
by Gabriel
Ann, “how long are we capable of living”? Well, that depends physically on how long we can maintain ourselves with what….and perhaps, more importantly, what is it that life has to offer, which is a broad question to say the least.
Ray Kurzweil said that, without life expansion, life extension would probably eventually make us bored and weary….but the thing about enhancements in general, and the direction we are going, is that we are opening new opportunities for ourselves….if I took a pill to enhance my memory for instance, think of all the things I can do now? All the things I can learn with ease….perhaps more important then extending my life, I have expanded it.
I imagine if life expansion is indeed more important then life extension…in a sense, we already live in a world where we don’t have enough time to do all things one would like to do, but extension alone would leave us eventually feeling like their is little left to do….we are going to need both, and much more of expansion to keep ourselves going longer and happier – I’m not sure if I’m too worried though because it seems like we’re going to get plenty of both in the future.
by Mr.X
Without rejuvination most people will get something between 80-120.With rejuvination and technological change, theoretically we could live indefinite livespans (trauma, heat death of the universe, etc could kill us).
by Ann
Yes, Mr.X: But how old would that be?
by Mr.X
The cap is at 120, without better interventions.
by Ian
Sure. Why not?
by peter g
Modification of Pten gene found to help mice stay cancer free
…this is all we need
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2111724/The-genetic-tweak-help-stay-cancer-free-remain-matter-eat.html
by Mr.X
@Peter: I disagree- you’d still die of old age.
by Gorden Russell
In time, Mr. X, genetic research will eliminate cell senescence. Then you will get younger with every single division of every cell in your body. You will stop aging forward and start to age backwards like Merlin, the Magician. You will be ‘youthing.’
by Mr.X
@Gordon: I hope I won’t get to the embryonic stage :), But then again, I actually agree with what you meant to say (although one could argue about the ways by which the practical defeat of aging will be achieved).
Nonetheless, next time I quote differently so people won’t misunderstand me.I meant to say we’d need more than beating cancer to achieve lasting happiness/ contentness (dead people don’t feel).