This blog post examines the influence of biotechnology’s progress on human evolution and the potential ethical and social changes it may bring. We discuss how technology will reshape humanity’s future.
I believe everyone has wondered at least once in their life: what will become of humanity and this world after an unimaginably long time has passed? Must it truly be a time beyond our imagination? If significant changes and advancements occur in the near future, how might the end of Homo sapiens—the species still universally called ‘human’—manifest? Yuval Noah Harari states in ‘Sapiens’ that natural selection is being replaced by intelligent design on Earth today. Species that once evolved and went extinct according to the laws of natural selection are now being transformed by Homo sapiens—who can be considered an intelligent creator—through their intelligent design, giving rise to entirely new species. Referring to intelligent design, Yuval Harari presented three aspects as answers to the earlier question.
When we contemplate the end of humanity, it’s easy to imagine the process as a simple, destructive, and sudden event, much like those depicted in movies or novels. However, in reality, it is likely to be far more complex and gradual. The end of humanity is not merely the disappearance of humans, but could include a process where the concept of ‘human’ as we currently understand it changes or evolves. In this context, the three aspects Yuval Harari presented offer crucial clues for understanding our future.
One of these is that ‘biotechnology’ will dominate the world. In truth, biotechnology has been infiltrating our lives for an incredibly long time. Thousands of years before the concept of biotechnology emerged, humans manipulated the biological forms of creatures ranging from animals like oxen to other humans through methods like castration. Since genetic engineering formally emerged, such manipulation has developed rapidly. We are encroaching on realms once thought exclusive to God: eliminating genes deemed unnecessary or negative by humans, extracting necessary genes, and injecting them into other species. More astonishingly, this doesn’t stop at existing species. Geneticists have now successfully reconstructed mammoth and Neanderthal DNA, and theoretically, it’s possible to bring them back to life. Of course, ethical and political opposition in various quarters means this research isn’t progressing rapidly. Yet, with extinct species being revived and the boundaries between species blurring, the emergence of superhumans through selective human genetic engineering seems only a matter of time. Here, “superhuman” refers to humans composed solely of traits deemed advantageous or ideal by human standards. In the animal realm, genetic engineering has already produced mice with significantly enhanced memory and learning abilities. Some reports even suggest that researchers have isolated the gene responsible for monogamous relationships in field mice. Such manipulations are considered entirely feasible for humans. If implemented, this would signify the potential to manipulate not only individual abilities and personality traits but also the very structure of society as a whole. Changes to the overall societal structure would extend far beyond individual alterations, impacting the economy, politics, and culture as a whole. For instance, a human population with vastly enhanced memory and learning abilities would necessitate a complete restructuring of the current education system. This would mean the emergence of new occupations and the disappearance of existing ones, bringing significant changes to the global economic structure. Furthermore, differences in abilities resulting from genetic manipulation could exacerbate social inequality, raising new ethical and legal issues.
Furthermore, criteria for species classification resulting from such manipulation must be established. Just as giraffes with short necks in early evolution did not become classified as a different species due to natural selection producing long-necked giraffes, intelligent design might also present cases where classifying them as entirely distinct species based on a few altered characteristics would be problematic. However, if lifeforms possessing several characteristics designed by humans become widespread and, over a long period of time, evolve in a different direction from existing normal species due to the traits humans have imparted, there is sufficient potential for evolution to warrant calling them a different species.
Such advances in biotechnology will go beyond mere species change, ushering in an era where humans can control and regulate their own evolutionary process. This signifies that the evolutionary process, once determined by natural selection, is being restructured by human will, accompanied by corresponding responsibilities and ethical dilemmas. For instance, while manipulating specific genes can prevent diseases, it also carries the risk of unexpected side effects or the emergence of new disease forms. Therefore, alongside its technological potential, the advancement of biotechnology necessitates essential social and ethical discourse.
After reading the above, some may question how the advancement of biotechnology could lead to the end of Homo sapiens, the human species. However, Homo sapiens refers to a species that evolved solely through natural selection. Can genetically engineered humans, designed through sapiens’ engineering technology, truly be considered the same species as Homo sapiens? Of course, the process of this end may not be the negative, somewhat frightening process implied by the word ‘end.’ It could be the heteronomous end of Homo sapiens, where genetically engineered humans, designed through intelligent design, dominate those who are not. Alternatively, it could be the autonomous end of Homo sapiens, where we naturally intermingle with them, develop in ways beneficial to us, and ultimately all become genetically engineered humans. Such an autonomous end is not mere extinction but can be viewed as a new form of evolution. It is a process where Homo sapiens redefines itself and is reborn as a new entity. Therefore, rather than focusing on the negative connotations of the word ‘end,’ it should be embraced as a positive sign of a new beginning.
Regardless of the method, within decades or centuries, unless there exists a Homo sapiens population completely excluded from this rapidly advancing engineering, the Homo sapiens species is approaching its end. To prepare for this future, we must closely observe the development of biotechnology and the resulting social changes, establishing corresponding ethical and legal standards. Furthermore, through education and research, we must seek ways to maximize the positive potential of biotechnology while minimizing its adverse effects. This is not merely a matter of science and technology, but a problem directly connected to all our lives.
