Beyond Human?: Science and the changing face of humanity

by John Bryant

Overview

As the news constantly reminds us, recent advances in the biomedical sciences have brought within reach things that were unthinkable only a few years ago: designer babies, genetically enhanced athletes, human clones, stem cell treatment, medical technology, transhumanism. All these issues raise huge questions. Our power to intervene in the natural course of human life is immense: but what should we be doing and what should we avoid? And what about the inequalities of technological power across the globe? Biologist and ethics expert Dr John Bryant begins by placing modern biomedical science in its recent social history context, before moving on to discuss ethics and whether our normal ethical frameworks can cope with the questions thrown up by these huge issues. Throughout the book, Bryant encourages the reader to engage with the questions he addresses.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780745958989
Publisher:	Lion Books
Publication date:	04/17/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	553 KB

About the Author

Professor John Bryant is Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Exeter. He has written several books and articles.
Professor John Bryant is Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Exeter. He has written several academic books and articles as well as Life in Our Hands: A Christian Perspective on Genetics and Cloning (IVP).

Table of Contents

CONTENTS
Foreword 9
1 Starting from the Beginning 13
1.1 Beyond what? 13
1.2 Being human: the origins and early evolution of humankind 16
1.3 Corn and community, cities and civilization 19
2 The Way We Were 25
2.1 Introduction 25
2.2 Shifting power bases in the ancient world 26
2.3 Religion in the ancient world 27
2.4 Into Europe 28
2.5 Post-Roman Britain 29
2.6 Moving away from Rome 31
2.7 Science, culture and religion 31
2.8 The Industrial Revolution and the age of invention 34
2.9 Science, culture and religion revisited 36
2.10 Into the twentieth century 37
2.11 Some thoughts on the story so far 41
3 The Way We Are 45
3.1 Introduction 45
3.2 Communism and capitalism 46
3.3 Israel and Palestine 51
3.4 The European Union 53
3.5 The 1960s 54
3.6 Northern Ireland 59
3.7 Terrorism and war 61
3.8 Power bases shift again 64
3.9 Science, religion and culture 65
3.10 Human society: fraying round the edges or cracking down the middle? 70
3.11 After World War II: a final comment 74
4 Morals, Ethics and Complex Issues 77
4.1 Introduction 77
4.2 Ethical systems 78
4.3 A brief excursion into postmodernism 85
4.4 Application of ethics in medicine 87
4.5 Extending the ethical vision 89
5 Genes, Genetics and Human Disease 93
5.1 Introduction 93
5.2 Early understanding 94
5.3 Genes and medicine: the early years 95
5.4 The new genetic revolution 99
5.5 Science, sequences and sickness 102
6 Genetic Testing and Diagnosis: The Good, the Bad and the Muddly 113
6.1 Genetic testing and diagnosis 113
6.2 Prenatal and pre-implantation testing: wider ethical issues 123
6.3 A gene for this and a gene for that 133
6.4 Concluding remarks 138
7 Medical Technology: From Gamete to Grave 141
7.1 Introduction 141
7.2 The art of reproduction: from donor insemination to test-tube babies 142
7.3 Gene therapy 149
7.4 Repair, replacement and renewal 152
7.5 Three score years and then 167
7.6 … and then: when am I dead and when may I die? 171
7.7 Whatever next? 177
8 Chips with Everything: Computers, Information and Communications Technologies 181
8.1 Introduction 181
8.2 Alan Turing and the dawn of the computer age 182
8.3 The age of computers: the digital age 185
8.4 How things have changed 186
8.5 Networking 188
8.6 The digital divide 189
8.7 The darker side of digital technology 191
8.8 Concluding remarks 201
9 Transhumanism: Stronger, Faster, Better, Older? 205
9.1 Introduction 205
9.2 Transhumanism: biomedical 207
9.3 Transhumanism: pharmacological 221
9.4 Transhumanism: digital 223
9.5 Transhumanism: biomechanical 229
9.6 The “super-soldier” programme 230
9.7 Concluding comments 230
10 Beyond Human? 235
10.1 Introduction 235
10.2 The angel and the beast 236
10.3 Fair shares for all? 237
10.4 Fiddling while home burns 239
10.5 Better humans? 242
10.6 Postscript 244
Index 246

Editorial Reviews

Molecular biologist Bryant explores the need for and avenues toward establishing an ethical blueprint for science. He argues for a balanced use of bio-technology to enhance or prolong life and reviews many of the current hot topics: stem cell research, eugenics, euthanasia and the right to die. He stresses that he is a Christian but has no use for fundamentalism; his stated viewpoint is that of "Christian-based virtue ethics". Bryant is extremely concerned that medical and genetic advances might only extend the gap between the haves and have-nots since, as it currently stands, only the rich can afford life-extending or genetic treatments. He concludes that making life better for the majority must be the ultimate ethical goal. Therefore, genetic altering for inherited diseases is allowable but "designer babies" are not. He concludes on this note, stating that "scientific research is a legitimate activity" but considering the problems society faces today we shouldn't be wasting time on "thought-control technology,...artificial wombs and sexless reproduction!" This is a heart-felt discussion of thorny ethical conundrums but Bryant's personal beliefs impact his exploring the questions deeply. (June)

Publishers Weekly