Brave New World: Genetic Engineering & The Quest For Immortality

Nothing is perfect and lasts forever................... But what if that can be changed?

• Death is the only guarantee in every species of life. For humans, we have the privilege of having two guarantees in life, death & taxes. There's nothing we can do about it besides accepting the harsh realities of our mortality and the constant surveillance eye of the IRS. This somber realization that we will all die one day gives many a feeling of dread, melancholy, the lack of meaning, and most importantly, the fear of missing out.
• It is from this fear, humans throughout history have tried time after time to defy nature with an insatiable quest for immortality.
• So what if we can use genetic engineering to improve ourselves by reducing inefficiencies and possibly live forever? Wouldn't that be nice if we get to have super powers and don't get to miss out on anything in the cosmos by lasting an eternity? This is some people's version of utopia, or at least a step towards it.
• But is all this a utopian promise or a dystopian control?

***Religious folks love to espouse that nature is beautiful and should not be tempered with because it's God's work and a temporary life holds no meaning because everything we learn in life will cease to exist at the moment of our death. This is one of many reasons why they believe in an afterlife.

***Humanists and transhumanists argue that genetic engineering is an inevitability and can be used for good but it should have strict safeguards against misuse. They also think we get a sense of purpose in life because our time is finite. Think of it as a deadline for a project. If it weren't for deadlines, when would anything ever get done?

*** I believe that nothing can last forever unless built right.

Come join us and discuss the ethics of genetic engineering & immortality.

Questions to ponder:

• Can we ever justify eugenics?
• If we can clone a person and dumb down their intelligence and awareness, would it then be justified to preform science experiments on that human?
• How much can you change out a person before that person's identity change as well? (Think of the Ship of Theseus theory)
• What are the differences between genetically modified and genetically engineered?
• Is it moral to use genetic engineering and or modification to eradicate all faulty genetic mutations to create "perfect humans"?
• What is perfection and is it achievable?
• Are there any good arguments that we should continue to allow faulty genes to exist among the human gene pool?
• What do you consider faulty genes?
• Do you think modern humans are good enough the way we currently are? (Why or why not?)
• Do you believe that modern humans are flawed and should be genetically modified and engineered? (If so, in what ways and how?)
• What is a superior human being?
• What is an inferior human being?
• Should parents be allowed to use genetic engineering to custom build their babies?
• What kinds of safeguards do you think governments and private entities should implement against unrestricted genetic engineering experimentations?
• What is likely to happen during the democratization of genetic engineering technologies?
• Should society hold genetically engineered humans to the same legal standards as the naturally evolved humans?
• Should genetically engineered humans have the same rights as the naturally evolved humans?
• Should we hold genetic engineers accountable for the crimes committed by the genetically engineered humans?
• Should we praise and give credit to genetic engineers for the achievements made by the genetically engineered humans?
• What are your thoughts on genetically engineered humans being sent on far away space missions and colonizing other planets?
• At what point will the human race stop being humans after generations of genetic iterations long after the colonization of other planets?
• Will there be an even more social divide during an era of genetically modified and engineered humans?
• Do you believe that nature is beautiful and should be keep the same?
• Do you believe that nature is outdated and should be revolutionized?
• What super power would you like to have if you can only be granted one?
• To what extent can we justify genetic engineering?
  ***Should humanity become a hivemind like the Borg Collective from Star Trek or should humanity remain individual independent thinkers according to Capt. Pickard?
• Is death the end?
• Why do humans have an insatiable quest for immortality?
• Can we truly know if there's an afterlife?
• Is life worth the existence when you know that it will die one day?
• Does the end give you a sense of drive and purpose?
• What is the role of religion in the belief of an afterlife?
• Do you need religion to believe in an afterlife
• Do you fear death?
• Do you fear missing out?
• Is immortality moral?
• If we can achieve immortality, then there wouldn't be a need for having kids. Are you willing to accept that reality?
• How would you spend your eternity if there's no more need for time management?
• What scares you about death?
• Is there meaning in life if we're all transient in the cosmos?
• Can anything last forever?
• Is a movie worth watching when you know that it will eventually end?
• Why do humans ponder about mortality more than any other species?
• What curiosities do you have about the far future?
• What are the main desires for humans to obtain immortality?
• If immortality is can be achieved, who should have the power?
• Will immortality create an even greater social class divide?
• Are you willing to achieve immortality through none Carbon lifeform methods?
• Do we have a soul and what is a soul?
• Do parents lose all meaning in life when their children dies?
• What do you live for?
• What gets you up every morning besides not tired anymore?
• Are we play "god" by using genetic engineering to achieve perfection?
• How can we healthy cope with the fact that immortality at this point is just a fantasy?

Guidelines:

• If your name on Zoom does not match your Zoom name, you will be removed or not admitted.
• Hand raises are required. There are no limits on how many times you can raise your hand.
• There will be a 2-3 minute timer for every person depending the size of attendees. However, in this group, I do allow a brief back and fourth interjection from others if it's something that's related to the person who was just speaking. This is a way to prevent the group from feeling too "robotic" in style and get your pressing question asked to the speaker and get the answer right away without waiting all the way back to your turn again.
• Be authentic & civil!
• Please refrain from using Ad Hominem (personal) attacks. This includes in voice, in meeting chat, and in the comments section below. Instead, please attack the points from others. Severe Ad Hominem such as racist behavior will result in being removed from the meeting.
• Zoom link is posted well before the day of the meeting but you will not be able to join until 10 minutes before the meeting start time.