Talk: Emily Anthes
Today,
the use of neuroscience to alter the means by which an organism operates is a
very real possibility. In her talk,
Anthes explores how biotechnology is changing the future of our furry
companions. She attempts to uncover how
we can use cloning to protect against endangered species, create prosthetics to
help injured animals, and employ genetic engineering to create disease
resistant livestock on farms.
While
Anthes' piece was a promising one, an article by Susanne Posel sheds light on
another aspect of biotechnology. The
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has a two billion dollar
annual budget allocated towards research into creating a super solider as well
as developing a synthetic police force. Working
on unraveling the human genome, Posel
claims that DARPA hopes to manipulate certain gene expressions. DARPA was like to enhance the ability of
military soldiers to regrow limbs lost in battle.
One of
the most controversial topics that Posel addresses in the Department of
Defense's hope to "enhance" a soldier's ability to "kill without
care or remorse, show no fear, fight battle after battle without fatigue and
generally behave more like a machine than a man". A lot of this research is dependent upon
understanding the wiring of the human brain and manipulating it to create
desired affects. This research is being
furthered by Jonathan Moreno, professor of bioethics at Pennsylvania State University. The Pentagon has provided 400 million dollars
to this research.
Posel's
article highlights many possible advancements in biotechnology, but it also
poses many possible ethical obstacles.
If the technology for these types of modifications is fully developed, what kinds of moral barriers
will result when there is an attempt at actually implementing this
technology? The risk of battle is a
great one, but it seems that these changes are rather invasive.
Sources:
Anthes, Emily. Frankenstein's Cat: Cuddling up to
Biotech's Brave New Beasts. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Posel, Susanne. "DARPA
Continues Human Experiments to Create Human Super Soldiers."Www.occupycorporatism.com.
N.p., 25 Sept. 2012. Web.
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