Human enhancement: prospects, challenges and choices
December 24, 2019 09:44 Source: "China Social Sciences" December 24, 2019 Author: Wang Ronghu

■ May 17,The world's first brain -machine interface special chip "Brainman" was released at the 3rd World Intelligent Conference of Tianjin。Brain -machine interface technology may be used for human cognitive enhancement。Picture Source: China News Picture Network

For thousands of years,Humans have been passing education、Physical exercise、Diet selection and other methods "improve" itself,until in recent decades,Biomedical、The development of neuroscience and artificial intelligence has made humans change their own way on the edge of the revolution: humans use modern science and technology to control our organisms、Perception ability、Thought and emotion, etc.,It is expected to fundamentally improve human abilities,So a new concept appeared: human enhancement。

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There are many self -improvement methods in human history,For example: physical exercise can keep healthy、Increasing the effectiveness of the body; education can not only allow the brain to store more information,and can increase its memory and analytical ability,and then can cope with complex situations calmly; a reasonable dietary structure can not only promote the healthy development of the body and mind,It can also reduce the violations of the disease; self -reflection and participation in religious activities can reduce or even eliminate negative emotions to act more rationally。In fact,As Ronald Cole · Turner said,"For us,Life is a long -term plan for self -improvement "。For a long time,These "traditional" self -improvement methods did not cause people's resentment,The bet365 live casino games reason is that they have not caused some essential changes。Just as Julian Savulescu and others said,Even if humans use modern science and technology,"But in modern drama changes,If humans have a inevitable fate of death、Common emotional and emotional types、A series of basic perception and intellectual capabilities (Nature) is still constant,It is a relatively fixed reference point,It can bridge the differences in culture and ideology "。But,With biomedical、Development of neuroscience and artificial intelligence,People are expected to fundamentally change human biological,Ethicalists call this intervention that enhances human ability based on modern science and technology as "human enhancement"。

About human enhancement,Turner thinks,Human enhancement is just a new means of self -improvement of human beings; Eric T. JUENGST (Edmund D. Pellegrino) believes,Human enhancement is an intervention that transcends medical recovery or maintains health; Christopher Boorse and Daniels (Norman Daniels) think,The sign of human enhancement is to increase the level of species unique to normal functions exceeding some statistical definition; welfareism believes,"If the change in human biology or psychological state has increased its opportunity to live a better life in related environments,So this change is human enhancement "。In view of this,Paul R. Wolpe and James Canton thinks,No human enhancement and stable and clear definition。Although the definition of human enhancement is not clear,But the overall thinking of human enhancement is clear enough: people want to pass through biological engineering、Modern science and technology such as nanotechnology and artificial intelligence for thorough self -improvement。

  Science and technology development brings more possibilities for human enhancement

In modern society,People may have realistic demand for human enhancement。As Survisku and others said,"Our organism has slowly developed for thousands of years or even tens of thousands of years。In the past 100 years,Our social life has changed dramatically。Doctors want to tell us,Our organism is not suitable for our current high -fat and low fiber diet and sedentary lifestyle。But our organisms and psychological mechanisms may not be synchronized with our lifestyle globally "。Then,Our existing ability is difficult to adapt to the large -scale technology and social change that occurred in the blink of human history,So,People are trying to use modern science and technology from cognition、Physical (Physical)、Emotional、Self -enhancement of life and morality。

At present,Medical development makes drugs、Diet supplements and hormones may be used to cognitive enhancement、Body enhancement and extension of life; thanks to the development of computer hardware and software,The brain machine interface may be used to cognitive enhancement; through the craniotomy magnetic stimulation can be used to treat Alzheimer's disease or enhance memory; as the human genome decoding,The interactive development of gene editing and artificial intelligence can not only be fundamentally treated or even prevent certain diseases,and can also enhance the effectiveness and cognitive ability of the body from the gene; thanks to the development of nanotechnology,Poor limbs may be close to or even surpass bioplains,"Oscar Pistorius, the fastest running in the world" is the best embodiment of the potential of prosthetic limb; surgery is not only used for treatment,It may also be used for body enhancement,Golf player bet365 Play online games Eldrick Tiger Woods) has better vision after laser ophthalmology surgery is a typical example used by surgery to enhance。

  Copy difficulties and risks of human enhancement

Modern science and technology provides possibilities for the beautiful desire to enhance human beings,However, some technical difficulties and risks are the same。For now,Some good wishes are still difficult to achieve technically。For example,Although "Evolutionary theory of Aging" provides a basis for preventing aging,But intervention such as restricting calories and controlling growth hormones is just delaying aging,instead of completely prevent aging。With the development of technology,Technical difficulties may gradually resolve,However, science and technology also brought some risks while enhancing human capabilities。Some of these risks are easy to find: for example,Cranial magnetic stimulation can improve cognition and emotion,But there is the risk of epilepsy; promoting red blood cells can increase endurance,But when the blood is thickened to the level that can form a block, it may increase the heart disease、stroke、The risk of cerebral embolism and pulmonary embolism; growth hormone can be used for body enhancement and delaying aging,But it increased the risk of tumor。There are some risks that are not so easy to be discovered: for example,The risks brought by gene intervention may appear in the next generation or even the next generation,Even those who accept gene intervention may "pollute" the environment and others through the cells or excrement。In fact,Human enhancement issues that may involve balance,"The highly complex and exquisite balance between the human body and the soul is the result of gradually and strict evolution,It is likely bet365 live casino games that any risk of "improvement 'attempts that are not considered"。So,Some risks may be inevitable。

Even if humans enhance can respond to technical difficulties and risks,But still facing challenges from society。First,Human enhancement may further exacerbate social inequality。In fact,An important reason for the sports industry to oppose stimulants is the unfairness it brings: athletes who use stimulants occupy an advantage relative to athletes who do not use stimulants。Similarly,Human enhancement based on high -tech technology and other humans can also lead to inequality,"This feature becomes increasingly obvious after the modern technological revolution,Because high -tech is no longer like a traditional hoe、Sickle is occupied by everyone,Mastering high -tech people must have a few in the total population,They are the real beneficiaries of high -tech "。Next,Human enhancement may bring new challenges to politics, laws and regulations。For example,Increase the average life expectancy of human beings,"Elderly" needs to be redefined,will cause a series of problems,For example, the growing "aging" population will have an impact on politics -the increase in the participation rate of the elderly may lead to the introduction of new election rules。Another example,When the combination of brain machine interface and artificial intelligence is used for cognitive enhancement,It may bring new challenges to the law -after the human brain's activity connects with artificial intelligence,Who is the legal subject of the behavior of artificial intelligence?

In fact,The development prospects of human enhancement are finally facing people's value choices。As Erik Parens said,For humans to enhance people's attitudes, "gratitude" and "creation"bet365 Play online games : "One party emphasizes that we have the obligation to remember that life is a gift,We need to learn to make things as what they are,The other party emphasizes that we have the obligation to change the gift and show our creativity。"Obviously,The opponent who is grateful is the opponent of human enhancement,We need to learn to make things as what they are,Habermas and others are based on natural sacredness to oppose human enhancement,and Lu Feng believes that the modernity behind human enhancement is a myth and superstition,"Do not drive this superstition,Human beings will be destroyed in all kinds of 'self -sin "scientific and technological innovation"。Creating attitude is the supporter of human enhancement,What they think is not necessarily good,For example, disease is natural,But no one will oppose the treatment of the disease,And people's evaluation of "natural state" will change,It was previously considered natural, but it may not be considered natural now。In fact,Behind the "Thanksgiving" and "Creation",It is a choice of different values。

Brief words,Whether human enhancement will be widely accepted as a self -improvement measure in the future,Just like receiving education,First depends on whether the technology itself is mature and whether the social system is prepared accordingly,But in the end it depends on people’s value choices。As Lisbeth Witth?,"Whether the development and application of biotechnology is the purpose of medical or enhanced the purpose,This is forced to consider,What kind of life do we want to live in the future,and in the relationship between as a human and as a part of nature,What related values ​​do we want to protect and pursue "。

 (This article is the Humanities and Social Science Research of the Ministry of Education of the Ministry of Education of the Ministry of Education "The Study of the History of Conceptual Concepts (19YJC720029)

(Author Unit: School of Philosophy and Social Development at Northwest University of Political Science and Law)

Editor in charge: Zhang Jing
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