Modular Humanity: An Inquiry into Bioethics and Human Ability
A reality where a person can swap out every part of their body, from their heart to their fingertips, for high performance electrical parts might arrive in several years as research into biotechnology turns average people into super-humans. Biotechnology and bionics involve humans and electronics assimilating in ways that are beneficial to the person receiving the upgrade. These new forms of treatment currently consist of speculation and basic applications; however, certain precautions must be taken to maintain ethics and fairness when these technologies emerge in real life. Biotechnology can exist in many forms, such as prosthetics, bionic eyes, and even gene editing. Biotechnology …show more content…
The definition of disability, “a physical or mental handicap, especially one that prevents a person from living a full, normal life or from holding a gainful job.” (Disability), will need to be considered to prevent abuse of biotechnology. Biotech augmentations may provide certain people with advantages causing wealthy “[communities] of ‘super beings’ who are, literally, better, stronger, faster” (The Guardian), to form if the distribution of such upgrades is not limited to “[normalization of the] … pathological, morbid, [disorganized], and dysfunctional’’ (qtd. in Fitzsimons 4). As with any new medical technology “tech and pharma companies stand to make millions” (The Guardian), which is why “Western governments [should] impose regulatory restrictions”(Fitzsimons 2), to prevent unfair pricing . Patents and other forms of bureaucracy may make it difficult for people to obtain the accommodation that they need. A system of determining qualification will be necessary for distribution of such enhancements. In the future, biotechnology may need to be regulated as healthcare is today; it must be available to everyone in basic forms and
A reality where a person can swap out every part of their body, from their heart to their fingertips, for high performance electrical parts might arrive in several years as research into biotechnology turns average people into super-humans. Biotechnology and bionics involve humans and electronics assimilating in ways that are beneficial to the person receiving the upgrade. These new forms of treatment currently consist of speculation and basic applications; however, certain precautions must be taken to maintain ethics and fairness when these technologies emerge in real life. Biotechnology can exist in many forms, such as prosthetics, bionic eyes, and even gene editing. Biotechnology …show more content…
The definition of disability, “a physical or mental handicap, especially one that prevents a person from living a full, normal life or from holding a gainful job.” (Disability), will need to be considered to prevent abuse of biotechnology. Biotech augmentations may provide certain people with advantages causing wealthy “[communities] of ‘super beings’ who are, literally, better, stronger, faster” (The Guardian), to form if the distribution of such upgrades is not limited to “[normalization of the] … pathological, morbid, [disorganized], and dysfunctional’’ (qtd. in Fitzsimons 4). As with any new medical technology “tech and pharma companies stand to make millions” (The Guardian), which is why “Western governments [should] impose regulatory restrictions”(Fitzsimons 2), to prevent unfair pricing . Patents and other forms of bureaucracy may make it difficult for people to obtain the accommodation that they need. A system of determining qualification will be necessary for distribution of such enhancements. In the future, biotechnology may need to be regulated as healthcare is today; it must be available to everyone in basic forms and