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It's ironic how much optimism is inherent in these projections of doom. Given our limited knowledge of human biology, way before "gene editing can make a human

by boh 4y ago

It's ironic how much optimism is inherent in these projections of doom. Given our limited knowledge of human biology, way before "gene editing can make a human smarter & better looking", we're likely to see unintended mutations, suffering and extensive litigation/regulation. Tech innovations often have messy beginnings, but this one in particular will be particularly messy (or just plain gruesome).

moregrist 4y ago
Yeah, I'm amazed that so many commenters on HN think that the technology, or even our understanding of things like "smarter & better looking" is anywhere near this level of sophistication. The sentence that really stood out to me was: > In the years since He’s revelations, researchers have uncovered further concerns about the use of CRISPR–Cas9 in embryos, including that it can shuffle large segments of chromosomes. There are a number of horrible genetic diseases, including Huntington's Disease, that do not present until later in life; for Huntington's Disease it typically presents when someone is in their 30s or 40s. We don't know what shuffling chromosomes might do. There's a very real possibility that if there was widespread adoption of CRISPR to make children smarter and more beautiful, it would could with the side effect of condemning their bodies and/or minds to fall apart in their teens, 20s, or 30s. Animal models won't tell us this. We'll only learn the true consequences over time. This is one of those situations where "move fast and break things" is just wrong.
screye 4y ago
Selective memory loss. The dawn of infinite power was heralded in with the annihilation of 2 cities in Japan, and the death of many innocents exposed to open radiation in the development process. The industrial revolution began with pollution that worsened the lifespan on the 'winners' for decades before we figured out how to make these spaces safer. Modern medicine started off with bloodletting & modern psychiatry started off with lobotomies. The first few generations that adopt a revolutionary technology see their lives get worse before they get better. Problem is, AI, Medicine & Automation are all likely to produce revolutions that are bigger and faster spreading than anything we've seen before. I do not wish to be a 'growing child' in an era of increasing adoption of this tech. Growing up with just the internet was confusing enough as is. More than all of these, the scariest is a technology that I've started hearing whispers of. We might 'solve aging' in this century. I hope I get to die before the advent of perpetual life seems to be on the horizon.
- Teever 4y ago
  Why is it important to you to die before we solve aging instead of after? I take what you're saying to mean that you don't think we should cure aging? Do you believe that we should cure cancer? Do you believe that we should not have cured smallpox? Why or why not?

by boh 4y ago

moregrist 4y ago

Yeah, I'm amazed that so many commenters on HN think that the technology, or even our understanding of things like "smarter & better looking" is anywhere near this level of sophistication. The sentence that really stood out to me was: > In the years since He’s revelations, researchers have uncovered further concerns about the use of CRISPR–Cas9 in embryos, including that it can shuffle large segments of chromosomes. There are a number of horrible genetic diseases, including Huntington's Disease, that do not present until later in life; for Huntington's Disease it typically presents when someone is in their 30s or 40s. We don't know what shuffling chromosomes might do. There's a very real possibility that if there was widespread adoption of CRISPR to make children smarter and more beautiful, it would could with the side effect of condemning their bodies and/or minds to fall apart in their teens, 20s, or 30s. Animal models won't tell us this. We'll only learn the true consequences over time. This is one of those situations where "move fast and break things" is just wrong.

screye 4y ago

Selective memory loss. The dawn of infinite power was heralded in with the annihilation of 2 cities in Japan, and the death of many innocents exposed to open radiation in the development process. The industrial revolution began with pollution that worsened the lifespan on the 'winners' for decades before we figured out how to make these spaces safer. Modern medicine started off with bloodletting & modern psychiatry started off with lobotomies. The first few generations that adopt a revolutionary technology see their lives get worse before they get better. Problem is, AI, Medicine & Automation are all likely to produce revolutions that are bigger and faster spreading than anything we've seen before. I do not wish to be a 'growing child' in an era of increasing adoption of this tech. Growing up with just the internet was confusing enough as is. More than all of these, the scariest is a technology that I've started hearing whispers of. We might 'solve aging' in this century. I hope I get to die before the advent of perpetual life seems to be on the horizon.

Teever 4y ago
Why is it important to you to die before we solve aging instead of after? I take what you're saying to mean that you don't think we should cure aging? Do you believe that we should cure cancer? Do you believe that we should not have cured smallpox? Why or why not?