Genetic engineering- the deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material- has been around since the 1970’s. This groundbreaking technology which first appeared in a sci-fi novel by Jack Williamson in 1951 is now touching every aspect of our lives from food to medicine and will possibly change the dynamics of the society in the future.
Genetic engineering has mostly been a topic of controversy for its applications to food production and it seems like the debate over genetically modified crops/organisms will never end. Pro GMO argument is mostly concerned with economics, revolving around the idea that GM foods produce higher crop yields, which could help by feeding more people in developing countries. On the other hand, anti GMO argument is concerned with the health of humans and organisms, claiming that it can trigger an allergy in humans, harm bio diversity and may result in the emergence of new diseases. The tradeoff between economy and health carries high importance in our society but while we were concerned with genetic engineering’s application to food we overlooked its application to humans and its possible future consequences.
Genetic engineering on humans is possible by an experimental technique called gene therapy in which defective genes are replaced by effective ones. This practice aims to correct genetic disorders and prevent or treat diseases. However, the technology is still in its infancy. This promising practice may allow doctors to treat a disorder by inserting a gene into a patient’s cells instead of using drugs or surgery. The science behind gene therapy is available all over the internet for those who are interested in it. Personally, I’m more interested in the social consequences of this groundbreaking technology.
For now, gene therapy is being tested for the treatment of diseases including inherited disorders, some types of cancer and certain viral infections. Nevertheless, we would be too naïve if we believe that this technology will only serve to treat diseases because history shows that “healing is the initial justification for every upgrade.”(Harari, Homo Deus) Modern plastic surgery began as a practice to heal the faces of soldiers who were wounded during the war. Now, it is a billion-dollar industry for enhancing the appearance of perfectly healthy humans. Likewise, “upgrading” possibilities for gene therapy is endless, and to be honest it is kind of scary.
Just like plastic surgery, upgrading will begin with enhancing physical appearance for aesthetic reasons. Next, this technology will be used to improve physical capabilities and metabolism. Athletes would adopt gene therapy technologies to improve their performance and this will result in a huge controversy in the sport industry. Then it will be used to improve mental abilities such as memory and intelligence which can possibly result in the ability to create a class of super-intelligent humans!! Scientists believe that identifying the many thousands of genetic variants that control for intelligence is not so far in the future and these variants, could then be selected for by the parents of a soon-to-be-conceived child. Genetic engineering could also be done on adults to boost their intelligence. Since we know that implementing this technology is a matter of when not if, we should start considering its possible impacts on the society.
Intelligence is the most valuable trait in the age of information. Therefore, improving intelligence through gene therapy would be desired by many but unfortunately be accessible to a few. In that case a new and powerful kind of inequality would arise like never before. In the capitalist world, this technology will only be available to those who can afford it. Therefore, after a certain time the gap between ordinary humans and super humans will widen and since this trait would be passed on to the next generations with new genes, a new race of super humans will appear. Let’s remember how we, humans treat living organisms that are less intelligent to us. We have them as our pets. Thankfully we have international agreements to guarantee equal rights for all humans in theory so such a relationship would not be possible in legal terms. However, there is no doubt that ordinary humans will be treated as lower beings by the super humans in social contexts. Moreover, imagine when this technology is used to enhance military personnel in aggressive and unstable countries. It could be as dangerous as the nuclear weapons of our time. What if the super human race decides to get rid of ordinary humans, deeming them unnecessary, even obstructive for the progress of humankind. There is also a possibility that we will come to a point where everyone can afford to be super intelligent and what can happen to the world in this scenario is beyond my imagination.
All these may be far-fetched theories but emergence of a super human race is not only a promise in sci-fi movies any more, but also will become our reality in the not-so-far future.
*I was inspired to write this article after reading the book "Homo Deus" by Yuval Noah Harari and watching the video "Genetic Engineering Will Change Everything Forever – CRISPR" by Kurzgesagt, check them out for more info on the future of genetic engineering!
