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Make Way for the Superhumans: How the science of bio enhancement is transforming our world, and how we need to deal with it
BOOKS
- GenresNonfictionScience
320 pages, Paperback
Published July 7, 2016
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149 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 22, 2017
Anyone who has ever dreamt of becoming the next (or first) Bionic Woman, Inspector Gadget, Terminator or Del Spooner should read this. Hec, anyone who has ever dreamt of wearing digital contact lenses should read this book. I found it incredibly well written and informative. The author is clearly an EXPERT in this field and the book was well researched, interesting and above all (for a science piece), readable. There is a lot of content though, and multiple reads is definitely advisable, but Michael Bess is able to sufficiently "dumb it down" without losing any of the important stuff. It provided a vivid depiction of what we could be (and in many cases are already being) faced with in the future, and approached the subject from all angles - economic, scientific, social and political.
March 12, 2022
Sapiens, humankind, factfullness, and this!!! Are must read books of this century!!!
February 21, 2019
Like "Sapiens", I think this book should be read by anyone of this time.
Superhumans, bioenhancement, …, these words seemed fairly distant to me when I first picked up the book. It felt a little fantastical, yet too specialised for a random passerby like me care about. Admittedly, I was more attracted by the colourful design of the cover than the title. I still decided to read it in the end, because I rarely read about the medical, bio-technological field.
There are three main things that I took away from the book:
First, it is an awareness of the biotechnological field (e.g. different types of genetic modification, enhancing drugs), and its current state. Many of the examples that the author brought up surprised me because they were so advanced and full of potential. In some ways, it was even scary to know how close we are to achieving things that we see in science fiction. (In fact, the author has added a nice movie reference list at the end of the book!)
Second, it is the complexity of this field. Throughout the book, the Bess emphasises heavily on the variety of implications that biotechnologies bring - from potentially finding middle ground between opposing political parties, to creating new social castes, and even the impact on sports entertainment. At the same time, the rapid growth of biotechnologies are also reliant on external factors too, especially the public's opinion and the policymakers who (dis)allow things to happen.
Thirdly, it is the redefinition of what humans are. This is something addressed throughout the book, and it is the most important. Bess is fully aware that the book is filled with speculations based on generalisations that may never happen at all. Nonetheless, if we see all of this as a warning, it is one that asks us to reconsider what life and being human means. Only then can we use all these technologies wisely - they are really just a means and not an end, as written.
In terms of the reading experience, I found it quite understandable and clear for a layman like me. Some chapters begin with "vignettes" - short, futuristic scenarios where certain technologies and their implications have become the norm. These are very helpful and memorable for the reader to get a quick gist of the chapter, and they lead well into the scientific, knowledge-dense parts.
Overall, the book is really solid in content and execution, and I would recommend it to anyone interested. (It's a long book, so you really do have to be interested!) (At least interested in the cover, like me)
Superhumans, bioenhancement, …, these words seemed fairly distant to me when I first picked up the book. It felt a little fantastical, yet too specialised for a random passerby like me care about. Admittedly, I was more attracted by the colourful design of the cover than the title. I still decided to read it in the end, because I rarely read about the medical, bio-technological field.
There are three main things that I took away from the book:
First, it is an awareness of the biotechnological field (e.g. different types of genetic modification, enhancing drugs), and its current state. Many of the examples that the author brought up surprised me because they were so advanced and full of potential. In some ways, it was even scary to know how close we are to achieving things that we see in science fiction. (In fact, the author has added a nice movie reference list at the end of the book!)
Second, it is the complexity of this field. Throughout the book, the Bess emphasises heavily on the variety of implications that biotechnologies bring - from potentially finding middle ground between opposing political parties, to creating new social castes, and even the impact on sports entertainment. At the same time, the rapid growth of biotechnologies are also reliant on external factors too, especially the public's opinion and the policymakers who (dis)allow things to happen.
Thirdly, it is the redefinition of what humans are. This is something addressed throughout the book, and it is the most important. Bess is fully aware that the book is filled with speculations based on generalisations that may never happen at all. Nonetheless, if we see all of this as a warning, it is one that asks us to reconsider what life and being human means. Only then can we use all these technologies wisely - they are really just a means and not an end, as written.
In terms of the reading experience, I found it quite understandable and clear for a layman like me. Some chapters begin with "vignettes" - short, futuristic scenarios where certain technologies and their implications have become the norm. These are very helpful and memorable for the reader to get a quick gist of the chapter, and they lead well into the scientific, knowledge-dense parts.
Overall, the book is really solid in content and execution, and I would recommend it to anyone interested. (It's a long book, so you really do have to be interested!) (At least interested in the cover, like me)
March 21, 2018
A highly readable book. I enjoyed the quick injection of humor and the thoughtful albeit very fanciful human enhancements which pervade. Where do humans draw the line between self fulfillment and curiosity, greed and all things hedonistic? I think humans do not necessarily want to go where tough decisions are made especially if they have their easy arguments made out for them by someone else (in their favor of course). If history has taught us anything, the people at the top aren't necessarily looking at for our best interests and even if they purport to be loads of backstage deceits are not far behind. If humans need to contend with the convergence of biotechnology and us, we need to take a long hard look at our current racism, nationalism and class divide. They persists, and if that timeline is any indication, we may be better for it in comparison. But, some of us always find the easy way out for our betterment bypassing thoughtful and not error free decisions. Do we proceed with caution, with luddism or just stay stagnant but alas non of it will work. MB talks about what drives essential human fulfillment as a social creature in need of meaningful interactions with one another. It brings to mind, Japanese society and their unique culture of finding satisfaction at anime, silicon dolls as life partners. They are by no means the lower dregs of society and even then they have adapted to the non interaction and isolation endemic in their youths. We find much about our human condition that confounds mightily including what we even know of ourselves fundamentally.
January 3, 2019
Shhhlllrp schhsclup *shrugs* shlup
January 19, 2022
Read this for EPQ, better than I expected
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews