Redesigning Humans: Choosing Our Genes, Changing Our Future

by Gregory Stock

A groundbreaking work, Redesigning Humans tackles the controversial subject of engineering the human germline -- the process of permanently altering the genetic code of an individual so that the changes are passed on to the offspring. Gregory Stock, an expert on the implications of recent advances in reproductive biology, has glimpsed the inevitable future of biomedical engineering. Within decades, Stock asserts, technological advances will bring meaningful changes to our offspring; this scientific revolution promises to fundamentally alter the human species. With recent findings presented in a new afterword, Stock's provocative assessment cuts through the debate to envision an age of radical biotechnological advancement and unprecedented human choice.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Biology, Genetics, Philosophy, Technology, Popular Science

296 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING ‘GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES’

Author Gregory Stock wrote in the first chapter of this 2002 book, “Bioethicists and scientists alike worry about the consequence of coming genetic technologies, but few have thought through the larger implications of the wave of new developments arriving in reproductive biology… These developments will write a new page in the history of life, allowing us to seize control of our evolutionary future. Our coming ability to choose our children’s genes will have immense social impact and raise difficult ethical dilemmas. Biological enhancement will lead us into unexplored realms, eventually challenging out basic ideas about what it means to be human…

“In this book, we will examine the emerging reproductive technologies for selecting and altering human embryos. These developments, culminating in germline engineering---the manipulation of the genetics of egg or sperm (our ‘germinal’ cells) to modify future generations---will have large consequences… The arrival of safe, reliable germline technology will signal the beginning of human self-design… this development … will transform the evolutionary process by drawing reproduction into a highly selective social process that is far more rapid and effective at spreading successful genes than traditional sexual competition and mate selection.” (Pg. 1-3)

He cautions, “People will make mistakes with these biological manipulations. People will abuse them… But as much could be said about any potent new development. No governmental body will wave some legislative wand and make advanced genetic and reproductive technologies go away, and we would be foolish to want this. Our collective challenge is … how best to realize their benefits while minimizing our risks and safeguarding our rights and freedoms. This will not be easy.” (Pg. 10)

He observes, “human genetic enhancement … may not be the most difficult possibility we face… Given the blistering pace of computer evolution and the Hollywood plots with skin-covered cyborgs or computer chips embedded in people’s brains, we naturally wonder whether cybernetic developments that blue the line between human and machine will overshadow our coming ability to alter ourselves biologically. The ultimate question of our era is whether the cutting edge of life is designed to shift from its present biological substrate… to that of silicon and its ilk… artificial intelligence theorists … believe that the computer will soon transcend us…” (Pg. 18)

He acknowledges, “To grasp the immense challenge of splicing electronics into our nervous system, one need only look at an electron micrograph of the brain. It shows a crowded tangle of cellular bodies and dendrites, not some heat textbook schematic. Moreover, we each have unique self-organizing connections. The idea of keeping track of millions of neurons in a nerve bundles and tapping into them like phone lines is a huge leap of faith… We must not discount the gulf between partially repairing bodily defects and enhancing healthy functioning.” (Pg. 21)

He explains, “The functional cyborg or ‘fyborg’ is already bringing us more intriguing possibilities. The difference between a fyborg… and a cyborg is one of boundaries. Cyborgization incorporates machine components into our bodies. Fyborgization fuses us functionally, rather than physically, with machines… Fyborgization … allows us to remain biological without giving up what technology offers, does not lie in the future. We already are fyborgs. We would feel diminished if we were to … give up our car and phone.” (Pg. 25)

He suggests, “Germline engineering represents a shift in human reproduction, but as effective somatic therapies become common, reduced public concern about genetic interventions in general will smooth the way for a move from screening and selecting embryos to actually manipulating them.” (Pg. 39) Later, he observes, “The social and psychological implications or a germline therapy that can arrest some significant aspect of aging will hinge on whether geneticists can adapt it for adult use…” (Pg. 85)

He explains, “I refer to this whole realm, which extends all the way from rudimentary embryo diagnostics to germline enhancement, as germinal choice technology, or GCT. ‘Germinal’ emphasizes that GCT manipulates one or a very few of our geminal cells rather than a fetus and is directed toward creating (or germinating) life rather than terminating it. ‘Choice’ acknowledges that our personal preferences will help determine our children’s genes.” (Pg. 110-111)

He argues, “The assertion of a human right to an unaltered genetic constitution … sounds scientific and political, but where does this ‘right’ come from? The assertion is spiritual, and virtually identical to the declaration that we should not play God. One cannot rebut this as a religious belief, but it is unconvincing in secular garb… It seems inconsistent to oppose embryo gene therapy that would protect against the degeneration and early death of children with Tay-Sachs yet to have no qualms about heart surgery to save a newborn. Genetic diseases can be every bit as brutal as nongenetic ones…As for playing God… we do just that every time we give our children penicillin, use birth control… We embrace technologies that tame and harness nature because we think they improve our lives, and we will accept or reject human genetic manipulation on the same grounds.” (Pg. 129-131)

He cautions, “No knowledgeable person denies the complexity of biological systems, so a dash of skepticism amid the exuberance of daily headlines about the geonomics revolution is welcome. But to conclude that we cannot surmount the technical and scientific obstacles is premature, to say the least. At this time, human germline manipulation is not feasible or safe. A decade from now, it still won’t be. Two or three decades hence, however, the story may be different.” (Pg. 135)

He notes, “some people … vehemently oppose the new reproductive technologies… [and argue] for an outright ban on the cloning of human embryos, even if they would be used to medical rather than reproductive purposes… Such a reaction could not be further from those… who eagerly welcome the emerging possibilities… The chasm separating these two perspectives is at the heart of the coming struggle over our journey into the human future.” (Pg. 163) Later, he adds, “At the heart … lies the fundamental question of we are willing to trust in the future. Will we accept humanity’s eventual transformation into something beyond human, or will we battle against it and try to protect those aspect of the human form and character that we see as intrinsic to our humanness?” (Pg. 172)

He concludes, “A thousand years hence, these future humans… will look back on our era as a challenging, difficult, traumatic moment. They will likely see it as a strange and primitive time when people lived only seventy or eighty years, died of awful diseases, and conceived their children outside a laboratory… But they will also see our era as the fertile, extraordinary epoch that laid the foundation of their lives and their society… To me, being here… is an amazing privilege… As I see it, the coming opportunities in germinal choice technology far outweigh the risks.” (Pg. 200-201)

This book will be of keen interest to those studying such issues.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

About engineering the human germ line, the author is clear: we can do it, we should do it, we will do it. I find some analysis of his convincing (albeit alarming to me), such as: profit-driven scientists will go to somewhere on earth and develop improved human products because people will pay for those, which makes it unstoppable and eventually breaking into countries that currently block such.

So humans will divide into castes based on their different degrees of "improvements", or lack thereof, and the gaps will ever widen because better->richer->better->richer...?

No matter what one likes, this is a thought-provoking book.

[J.S. Nelson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Creating a Master Race. Now, where have I heard that before? I mean it totally worked out great for everyone the last time Nazi scientists pushed for this, right? What could possibly go wrong? 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️
The pushers of a Master Race may have some new lingo & may try to package it as humanity's salvation & "advancement," and they obviously think that enough time has passed that people will have forgotten how that turned out, but the core ideals are still the same, and judging certain people as "inferior"'because they have a health issue or live in poverty or "have the wrong genes" & thinking YOUR ideals of a perfect human being are what should prevail is just as evil as your Nazi heroes that pushed it 80 years ago.
Do you want to know what a REAL, truly "advanced" human being is? It is Not genes, not a body, not physical. It is the strength & compassion & love of a person that accepts others as they are despite their imperfections, and spreads kindness & love & mercy & compassion everywhere that person goes, knowing that a mere smile or kind word can ease the burden of others, change their whole attitude for the day, & make the world a truly better place as a result.
No gene manipulation required. Because guess what? Health troubles are NOT the only aspect of life that makes it difficult from day-to-day. There are plenty of other factors, which biotechnology cannot touch. But being a genuinely good person on the inside (not the physical), but in the soul, helps & eases burdens on a far more diverse & all-encompassing scale.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN EXAMINATION (AND APPROVAL) OF DEVELOPING GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES

Author Gregory Stock wrote in the first chapter of this 2002 book, “In this book, we will examine the emerging reproductive technologies for selecting and altering human embryos. These developments, culminating in genetic engineering---the manipulation of the genetics of egg or sperm (our ‘germinal’ cells) to modify future generations---will have large consequences… Direct human germline manipulations may still be a decade or two away, but methods of choosing specific genes in an embryo are in use today to prevent disease, and sophisticated methods for making broader choices are arriving every year, bringing with them a taste of the ethical and social questions that will accompany comprehensive germline engineering. The arrival of safe, reliable germline technology will signal the beginning of human self-design. We do not know where this development will ultimately take us, but it will transform the evolutionary process by drawing reproduction into a highly selective social process that is far more rapid and effective at spreading successful genes than traditional sexual competition and mate selection.” (Pg. 2-3)

He observes, “As I see it, an actual brain-computer link would bring us almost nothing that our senses… could not. We learn about the world through our senses. We are wired to respond emotionally to them. This is why our immediate future will almost certainly focus on augmenting and titillating our senses, not on carving some new high-bandwidth superhighway into our brains… Even the familiar but improbable notion of having direct memory access to the world’s knowledge banks crumbles upon examination. If we already had a tiny intelligent electronic companion seated in our ear to answer our every question, we would have little incentive to undergo brain surgery… Healthy individuals are not going to allow some cyber-surgeon to hack into their brains to bring them enrichments that are largely obtainable in other ways.” (Pg. 23-24)

He states, “As we unravel our genetics, we will find that many traits are too opaque for us to manipulate anytime soon, that others are somewhat obscure but seem feasible in the near future, and that still others are straightforward. We do not yet know which human traits and conditions lie in which category, but within a decade or so we should have a fair idea of the size of the task facing future genetic engineers.” (Pg. 63)

He notes, “The biggest challenge we will face from germline technology is not from its failure… Success is what will tax our wisdom, because that would force us to come to grips with the medical, social, political, and philosophical implications of self-directed human evolution. I have described a simple adjunct to IVF, the injection of artificial chromosomes loaded with genetic supplements. It may prove to be humanity’s best hope, and its worst fear.” (Pg. 77)

He suggests, “If a germline procedure could double our lifespan, the egotistical pursuit of more years would not tarnish the beneficiaries any more than antibiotics and vaccines tarnish us… Longer and more vital lifespans would not only have personal consequences, they would also enrich society… The benefits to society of extending our vital years are as clear as the burdens of prolonging our decrepitude. We require decades of education and experience to learn to handle ourselves effectively… but we tire and fade all too quickly. Added years of health would lessen this drain.” (Pg. 95-96)

He summarizes, “I have argued that germinal choice technology [GCT] will offer us significant benefits and we will use the technology to acquire them…In-depth genetic testing… egg banking, improved in vitro fertilization, and cloning are poised to transform our reproductive choices… A decade or so beyond this first wave, a few rudimentary germline modifications may appear in special situations… This timeline is little more than a guess, but whether substantive GCT enhancement arrives in ten years or fifty, the social and ethical challenges it brings will be similar.” (Pg. 176-177)

He predicts, “In the future, humanity will be an ever-shifting mélange of those who are biologically unaltered, those with improved health and longevity, and those with sundry other enhancements. In essence, we and our children increasingly will be reflections of our personal philosophies and values. Where today we sculpt our minds and bodies using exercise, drugs, and surgery, tomorrow we will also use the tools that biotechnology provides.” (Pg. 195)

He concludes, “The great challenge is not how we handle cloning, embryo selection, germline engineering, genetic testing, genetically altered foods, or any other specific technology… Unlike nuclear weapons, these technologies … carry no threat of imminent destruction to multitudes of innocent bystanders. The crucial question is whether we will continue to embrace the possibilities of our biological future or pull back and relinquish their development to braver souls in more adventurous nations of the world… As I see it, the coming opportunities in germinal choice technologies far outweigh the risks. What is more, a free-market environment… is the best way both to protect us from potential abuses and to channel resources toward the goals we value.” (Pg. 200-201)

This book will be of keen interest to anyone studying issues of genetic engineering and related topics.

[Mara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Biotech Entrepreneur advocates for Free-Market Eugenics for 200 something pages. 2 stars because he raises some interesting points before saying that the free-market will protect us.

[Anthony Hopper · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the Gregory Stock could have better organized the material in his book, he does a solid job of elucidating key aspects, controversies, and hopes surrounding germline engineering. In my opinion, Stock at times struggles to posit a tight narrative. His prose occassionally meanders and at other points wraps back on itself (e.g., by including redundant information). However, on the whole, the author excels at defining, describing, and delineating germline engineering in ways that a layperson will understand. Additionally, Stock is adept at identifying some of the key controversies, pitfalls, and benefits that might arise when germline engineering becomes mainstream. Even though the book is now around 15 years old, I would recommend it to others who are interesting in learning more about this topic.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually a pretty short book. It's only 201 pages of actual reading and then another 76 pages of appendices, indexes, etc.

I'm not going to pretend that I understood everything that Greggory Stock discusses (and as a side note, my edition has Greggory spelled with two G's, not one). The chapter on Superbiology got pretty heavy with germline technology and auxiliary/artificial chromosomes. I think I enjoyed the chapters on cyborgs, fyborgs (functional cyborgs) and ethics the most.

I got the feeling that some of the science talked about here is already a bit dated. I think in another ten years this book might serve as more of a history lesson than a look to the future. Still, I enjoyed it.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides]

IIRC this is the one that suggested that human-improving genetic research would be slow because it won't benefit the researchers, only their children. I can think of other reasons this will go slowly, but that one doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

[Elvira · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit outdated, but a good read.