Sentient Developments: Demos's open access book on human enhancement

February 8, 2006

Demos has published an open access book on issues pertaining to human enhancement.

Titled "Better Humans? The politics of human enhancement and life extension," the book contains articles written by a number of leading thinkers in bioethics and futures issues -- including the World Transhumanist Association's Nick Bostrom.

Boook description:

We all share a desire for self-improvement.Whether through education, work, parenthood or adhering to religious or ethical codes, each of us seeks to become a ‘better human’ in a variety of ways. And for some people, more consumerist pursuits hold the key to self-improvement: working out in the gym, wearing makeup, buying new clothes, or indulging in a spot of cosmetic surgery.

But now a new set of possibilities is opening up. Advances in biotechnology, neuroscience, computing and nanotechnology mean that we are in the early stages of a period of huge technological potential. Within the next 30 years, it may become commonplace to alter the genetic make-up of our children, to insert artificial implants into our bodies, or to radically extend life expectancy.

This collection of essays by leading scientists and commentators explores the implications of human enhancement technologies and asks how citizens and policy-makers should respond.