The term directed evolution is used within the
transhumanist community to refer to the idea of applying the principles of
directed evolution and
experimental evolution to the control of human evolution.
In this sense, it is distinct from the use of the term in
biochemistry, which refers only to the evolution of
proteins
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
and
RNA
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. RNA and deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) are nucleic acids. Along with lipids, proteins, and carbohydra ...
. Maxwell J. Melhmanh has described directed evolution of humans as the Holy Grail of
transhumanism.
[
Oxford philosopher ]Julian Savulescu
Julian Savulescu (born 22 December 1963) is an Australian philosopher and bioethicist of Romanian origins. He is Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, Fellow of St Cross College, Oxford, director of the Oxford Uehiro Cen ...
wrote that:
According to UCLA biophysicist Gregory Stock
Gregory Stock is a biophysicist, best-selling author, biotech entrepreneur, and the former director of the Program on Medicine, Technology and Society at UCLA’s School of Medicine. His interests lie in the scientific and evolutionary as well as ...
:
Riccardo Campa, from the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, wrote that "self-directed evolution" can be coupled with many different political, philosophical, and religious views.
Criticism of the term
Andrew Askland, from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law claims that referring to transhumanism as directed evolution is problematic because evolution is ateleological and transhumanism is teleological.
Participant evolution
Participant evolution is an alternative term that refers to the process of deliberately redesigning the human body
The human body is the structure of a Human, human being. It is composed of many different types of Cell (biology), cells that together create Tissue (biology), tissues and subsequently organ systems. They ensure homeostasis and the life, viabi ...
and brain using technological means, rather than through the natural processes of mutation and natural selection, with the goal of removing "biological limitations" and human enhancement. The idea of participant evolution was first put forward by Manfred Clynes
Manfred Edward Clynes (August 14, 1925 – January 19, 2020) was an Austrian-born scientist, inventor, and musician. He is best known for his innovations and discoveries in the interpretation of music, and for his contributions to the study of ...
and Nathan S. Kline
Nathan Schellenberg Kline, M.D. (March 22, 1916 – February 11, 1983) was an American scientist, researcher in the field of psychology and psychiatrist best known for his work with psychopharmacologic drugs. Having been influential in the deve ...
in the 1960s in their article ''Cyborgs and Space'',posthuman
Posthuman or post-human is a concept originating in the fields of science fiction, futurology, contemporary art, and philosophy that means a person or entity that exists in a state beyond being human. The concept aims at addressing a variety of ...
, as part of a voluntary regimen of participant evolution.
See also
References
Transhumanism
Evolution
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