The Wild Ethics Of Human Genetic Enhancement - Dr Jonathan Anomaly

Dr Jonathan Anomaly is a philosopher who writes about the social implications of emerging biotechnologies, teaches classes in ethics and game theory, and helped design the Philosophy, Politics and Economics program at Duke University. The ability to select from potential embryos is already here. Soon, we will be able to select for height, intelligence, personality types, moral disposition, athletic ability and maybe even enhance traits which aren't present. This creates a vortex of complex ethics around one of the most contentious topics on the internet - genetics. So I decided to dive in. Expect to learn just what the current technology of embryo selection can achieve right now, whether opting to not genetically enhance your child is an unethical practise, the dangers of creating massive societal inequality, why you are already a eugenicist, whether genetic interventions are morally different from environmental ones and much more... Sponsors: Get 10% discount on all Gymshark’s products at https://bit.ly/sharkwisdom (use code: MW10) Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours with your first box at https://www.drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom (automatically applied at checkout) Get 10% discount on your first month from BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Extra Stuff: Check out Dr Anomaly's website - https://jonathan-anomaly.com/ Read Dr Anomaly's papers - https://philpapers.org/ Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom #genetics #heritability #ethics - 00:00 Intro 00:40 What We Misunderstand About Eugenics 08:58 The Difference Between Eugenics & Genetic Enhancement 17:43 The Morals of IVF & Genetic Variants 28:18 Societal Objections to Eugenics 33:21 Are Genetic Interventions Morally Different to Environmental Interventions? 38:37 What Are Our Current Genetic Enhancement Capabilities? 42:50 Are Human Males Redundant? 54:54 The Most Desirable Characteristics to Enhance 1:04:50 Will People Be Able to Select for Attractiveness? 1:17:16 Possible Negative Impacts of Eugenics on Society 1:28:43 Will Eugenics Create a Higher Class? 1:35:35 The Reality of Behavioural Genetics & Heritability 1:39:47 Is it Our Moral Obligation to Have Children? 1:51:39 Where to Find Dr Anomaly - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Dr Jonathan AnomalyguestChris Williamsonhost

Mar 6, 20231h 52mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: March 6, 2023
Duration: 1h 52m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Dr Jonathan Anomaly is a philosopher who writes about the social implications of emerging biotechnologies, teaches classes in ethics and game theory, and helped design the Philosophy, Politics and Economics program at Duke University. The ability to select from potential embryos is already here. Soon, we will be able to select for height, intelligence, personality types, moral disposition, athletic ability and maybe even enhance traits which aren't present. This creates a vortex of complex ethics around one of the most contentious topics on the internet - genetics. So I decided to dive in. Expect to learn just what the current technology of embryo selection can achieve right now, whether opting to not genetically enhance your child is an unethical practise, the dangers of creating massive societal inequality, why you are already a eugenicist, whether genetic interventions are morally different from environmental ones and much more... Sponsors: Get 10% discount on all Gymshark’s products at https://bit.ly/sharkwisdom (use code: MW10) Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours with your first box at https://www.drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom (automatically applied at checkout) Get 10% discount on your first month from BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Extra Stuff: Check out Dr Anomaly's website - https://jonathan-anomaly.com/ Read Dr Anomaly's papers - https://philpapers.org/ Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom #genetics #heritability #ethics - 00:00 Intro 00:40 What We Misunderstand About Eugenics 08:58 The Difference Between Eugenics & Genetic Enhancement 17:43 The Morals of IVF & Genetic Variants 28:18 Societal Objections to Eugenics 33:21 Are Genetic Interventions Morally Different to Environmental Interventions? 38:37 What Are Our Current Genetic Enhancement Capabilities? 42:50 Are Human Males Redundant? 54:54 The Most Desirable Characteristics to Enhance 1:04:50 Will People Be Able to Select for Attractiveness? 1:17:16 Possible Negative Impacts of Eugenics on Society 1:28:43 Will Eugenics Create a Higher Class? 1:35:35 The Reality of Behavioural Genetics & Heritability 1:39:47 Is it Our Moral Obligation to Have Children? 1:51:39 Where to Find Dr Anomaly - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Dr Jonathan Anomaly
guest
Chris Williamson
host
Narrator
other

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Dr Jonathan Anomaly and Chris Williamson, The Wild Ethics Of Human Genetic Enhancement - Dr Jonathan Anomaly explores the Coming Genetic Arms Race: Ethics, Inequality, And Human Futures Dr. Jonathan Anomaly and Chris Williamson explore the ethics, history, and future of eugenics and genetic enhancement, arguing that much of what we already do in mate choice is effectively informal eugenics. They explain how technologies like IVF, embryo selection, polygenic risk scores, and future methods such as in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) could allow parents to select for traits like health, intelligence, and personality at unprecedented precision and scale. Anomaly contends that the real moral line is not between environment and genes, or between ‘eugenics’ and ‘enhancement,’ but between voluntary, welfare-promoting uses and coercive, abusive ones. They also warn that these technologies will amplify existing genetic and social inequalities, potentially drive societal stratification or even speciation, and collide head‑on with blank-slate political ideologies and collapsing birth rates in wealthy societies.

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