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Human Enhancement

A Moderate Approach To Enhancement

Michael Selgelid offers a cautionary perspective on genetic enhancement.

Revolutionary developments in biomedical science, particularly in genetics, may lead to new cures or preventative therapies for a wide variety of human diseases. Just about everyone agrees that this would be a good thing. However, the very same kinds of developments that may be used to combat disease might also be used for the purpose of human enhancement – that is, to make people ‘better than well’.

Consider genetic testing, for example. Genetic testing of embryos produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF) can allow us to detect genetic sequences known to be associated with a wide variety of diseases before embryos are implanted in the mother’s uterus.

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