Word: humanity
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...recently completed work on whole-brain emulation. Could you discuss that and its relationship with human enhancement? Whole-brain emulation is a hypothetical future technology which would enable human minds to be "uploaded" from biological brains onto computers. This is a radical technology that's a long way off. It is nevertheless worth analyzing now because if it is developed, it would have profound consequences in relation to enhancement. For example, a mind that runs as software on a computer is not subject to biological aging. Such a mind could also be sped up by moving it to a faster...
...popular arguments against radical human enhancement is that you shouldn't meddle with nature. Do you agree with this view? The view that the human genome is perfect just the way it is, is absurd. Even a cursory look at human history reveals there is also much in human nature that is horrifically bad. When a species with our track record thumps its chest and declares itself to be already perfect - with zero room for improvement - it is hard to know whether to laugh or cry. However, it doesn't follow from this that we will necessarily improve things...
...Conversely, what are the most persuasive arguments in favor of human enhancement? There are intellectual arguments, but on a gut level, what is most persuasive for me personally is comparing the best times of my life with the worst times. The difference is pretty big. So I ask, Why can't it be like the best times more often? Then I observe that there are all kinds of biological constraints that make this difficult or impossible. Some form of enhancement would be needed to mitigate these constraints...
...contains small amounts of toxic substances—about the same as well-fertilized garden soil. According to health officials, the major risks to human health are irritation from breathing the ash or handling the ash, which can be minimized by avoiding contact with the material and washing exposed skin and clothing...
...ritual accompanies the month of Ramadan. Leaving all of that aside, however, fasting also offers important secular lessons. Whether or not one is religiously inclined, it offers considerable personal benefits. Few other methods are so effective in teaching discipline and humility coupled with an awe and respect for the human spirit. Islamic virtues, yes—but hardly exclusively...