As our scientific and technical abilities expand at breathtaking speeds,                  concern that modern genetics and bioengineering are leading us to a posthuman future                  is growing. Is Human Nature Obsolete? poses the overarching question of what it is                  to be human against the background of these current advances in biotechnology. Its                  perspective is philosophical and interdisciplinary rather than technical; the focus                  is on questions of fundamental ontological importance rather than the specifics of                  medical or scientific practice.The authors -- all distinguished scholars in their                  fields -- take on questions about technology's goals and values that are often                  ignored or sidelined in the face of rapid scientific advances and the highly                  specialized nature of technical knowledge. The essays included represent a rich                  variety of thought, ranging from finely nuanced philosophical and theological                  arguments to historical studies and cultural commentaries. Several explore the                  historical background of today's biotechnology: Timothy Casey traces such                  developments as the emergence of cybernetic humanity from Cartesian dualism, and                  Diane Paul presents the history of "positive" versus coerced eugenics. Jean Bethke                  Elshtain discusses cloning as a "messianic project" to perfect the body and exclude                  natural diversity -- giving as an example the elimination of Down Syndrome as an                  acceptable human type -- while Harold Baillie calls for an examination of the                  metaphysical roots of personhood. Robert Proctor finds no evidence in paleontology                  for any "essence of humanity," and Tom Shannon argues against materialist                  reductionism. Addressing social concerns, Lisa Sowle Cahill finds the possibility of                  a political solution to the problems raised by genetic engineering in Catholic                  teachings on social justice, and Langdon Winner looks critically at the "scientific                  enthusiasts of a posthuman future." Taken as a whole, the book provides a humanistic                  overview of a subject too often considered only in its technological                  aspect.

Is Human Nature Obsolete?: Genetics, Bioengineering, and the Future of the Human Condition (Basic Bioethics) PDF

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