You make a good point, but doesn’t the “You can’t stop science” viewpoint depend upon a teleological progression of history? The modernist view that societies always become more advanced and scientific knowledge more developed is not entirely consistent with events as they play out.
In James Burke’s great series, CONNECTIONS, the central message is how one discovery leads to others that seemingly have nothing to do with one another. If you stop looking at one area, there’s no telling how many more discoveries you’ll miss.
Personally I’m more worried about Cybernetics and what impacts that might have with society but I do agree with you on the facts we’ll eventually need genetic engineering. We just need to use it very carefully and place severe restrictions upon how it can be used.
Genetics Online
A Publication of The Genetics Society of America
Heredity
Official journal of the Genetics Society publishing original research in all areas of genetics, with a particular focus on population, evolutionary and quantitative aspects, animal and plant breeding and cytogenetics
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That’s what I mean by “you can slow it down.” I’m thinking pretty long term here.
You make a good point, but doesn’t the “You can’t stop science” viewpoint depend upon a teleological progression of history? The modernist view that societies always become more advanced and scientific knowledge more developed is not entirely consistent with events as they play out.
In James Burke’s great series, CONNECTIONS, the central message is how one discovery leads to others that seemingly have nothing to do with one another. If you stop looking at one area, there’s no telling how many more discoveries you’ll miss.
Personally I’m more worried about Cybernetics and what impacts that might have with society but I do agree with you on the facts we’ll eventually need genetic engineering. We just need to use it very carefully and place severe restrictions upon how it can be used.
There are things that it can handle. But knowing humans we will focus on the siller aspects like how we can make ourselfs glow in the dark.