In this blog post, we will examine whether genetic engineering technology challenges the limits of humanity and enters the realm of God, as well as its possibilities and ethical issues.
In ancient times, living creatures lived according to the commonly known “laws of nature,” such as “survival of the fittest” and “only the strong survive.” Humans were no exception. Humans, who could do nothing with their bodies alone, were weak in nature. However, at some point, this changed. The moment humans began to walk on two legs and use tools, they became more powerful than any other animal. It was the power of thought, or “intelligent design,” that overcame natural selection! And now, humans—Homo sapiens—rule the earth with an intelligence that no other creature possesses. However, it is said that Homo sapiens are changing. Are we changing? What kind of changes are happening to us? It is difficult to understand easily. Let’s take a look at the changes that are happening to us right now.
These days, the term “genetic engineering” is often used in the news. So why is genetic engineering such a hot topic? What does genetic engineering do? To put it simply, it is like replacing parts in a robot. However, changing even one part can bring about tremendous changes! Living things grow naturally and cannot introduce new characteristics that did not exist in their species. This is the law of nature. However, humans have been breaking this law of nature since ancient times. For example, breeding a plump hen and a slow rooster will produce plump and slow offspring, and castrating bulls to make them less aggressive and train them to work is an example of changing the form of living things. Biotechnology refers to the systematic intervention of humans at the biological level. With the advancement of science and technology today, things that were unimaginable in the past have become possible. This is genetic engineering. Genes are factors that create traits, or characteristics. As we gained an understanding of individual genes, we began to manipulate them. Genetic engineering is the process of obtaining desired traits.
The results of such artificial genetic engineering are astonishing. Green fluorescent rabbits were created by inserting jellyfish genes into rabbits. Human ears were created by transplanting cartilage into mice and controlling tissue growth. It may be possible to create and transplant human ears using this method. It can also bring about changes in our diet, such as potatoes that are resistant to frost, cows that are resistant to disease, and pigs that have beneficial fats. In addition, it is possible to control the sexual characteristics of individuals by manipulating the genes that control sexual characteristics. This means that it is possible to manipulate not only form and ability, but also social structures. If technology advances further and genetic engineering can be used freely, even more amazing things will be possible. Even now, scientists have succeeded in extending the lifespan of insects by six times and creating mice with greatly improved memory and learning abilities. In the future, it may be possible to greatly extend human lifespan or even create superhumans.
However, these amazing results are accompanied by equally controversial issues, namely emotional, ethical, and political issues. Animal rights activists oppose animal testing, while human rights activists fear that the emergence of superhumans will enslave us all. The development of current technology has been slowed down by ethical and political opposition. However, the next stage of development cannot be delayed for long. Although we do not yet have the insight to use this technology, the day will soon come when we will be able to extend human life indefinitely, conquer incurable diseases, and improve cognitive and emotional abilities.
The world is changing and technology is advancing. Humanity will change along with this technology. Yuval Harari, author of Sapiens, describes the broad context of these changes in three points. I thought about one of them, genetic engineering. It will bring enormous benefits. It will bring enormous changes. It will bring enormous controversy. Humanity has changed and evolved over millions of years. The main reason for this is our cognitive abilities. With this ability, we brought about a cognitive revolution and rose from insignificant apes to become the masters of the world. Now we stand at a crossroads. If a second cognitive revolution occurs with new technologies, we may develop a new form of consciousness and become a completely new human race. Amidst these changes, we may no longer be Homo sapiens. We will walk the path of extinction of Homo sapiens.
