Beyond Human: Engineering Our Future Evolution

by Erik Seedhouse

Beyond Human is an informative and accessible guide for all those interested in the developing sciences of genetic engineering, bio printing and human cloning. Illustrating the ideas with reference to well-known science fiction films and novels, the author provides a unique insight into and understanding of how genetic manipulation, cloning, and other novel bio-technologies will one day allow us to redesign our species. It also addresses the legitimate concerns about “playing God”, while at the same time embracing the positive aspects of the scientific trajectory that will lead to our transhuman future.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2014

Reviews

[Horia Calborean · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book but the figures are badly chosen. They only marginally relate to the subject. I mean I know how a baby looks. I don't need a picture of o baby. Is like the author writes the word book in his book and decides that maybe I should put a picture of a book in my book if people do not know how a book looks. This previous example is not true but the one with the baby is. Also I know how a printer looks. But interesting book. Probably already outdated but I was not very at the edge of genetic altering to start with.

[Jarne Van vooren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book on Humble Bundle, along with other sci-fi books. I started with this one, since I feared this one wasn't going to be a story and more theory and, personally, wanted this one to get out of the way first before I got to the others. It was a welcome surprise that it was more interesting than I imagined.

The book is about the state of genetic engineering. Not the current state. This book was published in 2013 so the one example about the 2016 Olympics is out-dated. On the other hand, there are some compelling ideas that could become real in the future.

The author presented many theories and the state of scientific findings and compared them with how they are perceived in pop-culture like movies, books, etc. This eases the audience into things they know/have heard of. It gives them a point of reference and helps to imagine the examples made in this book with this from that movie or without that from that movie. It's surprising how far a reality sci-fi has become.

Furthermore, the book explains morals and ethics that come with the evolution of genetic engineering. Problems like identity, achievement and progress are present. Although Dr. Seedhouse said that he merely wanted to present them, he does take a stance about scientific progress, being in favour of proceeding some technology. But he also gives compelling arguments for not proceeding onward.

I don't want to say too much about it. If I have to sum up this book, I could write too much. If you're interested in genetic engineering or science as a whole, definitely read this book. It's interesting and not too hard to understand, even for a science layman like myself.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have start reading this book, shortly after hearing about this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAhjP...