Can we control our evolution through gene manipulation and cybernetics?

[onishadowolf]

Can we or should we control our evolution.
And what would the consequences be of doing so?

[Moloch]

Honestly, I think this would be a great idea! We could manipulate our genome to make ourselves less dependent on the world around us. Think of it; being able to generate our own food, and to make ourselves resistant, or even immune to disease and aging.

[onishadowolf]

I see the good and the bad in this. So many good possibilities, and so many bad.  Is it really over stepping our station?

[Moloch]

I see the good and the bad in this. So many good possibilities, and so many bad.  Is it really over stepping our station?

You assume that we have a station to overstep.

[Loki]

I dont think we will be able to control anything. The use of nuclear energy is a simple illustration that there always be some individuals to use it for their own profit.  It will surely happens if we are not blown away before ...

[Raziel]

Yes. This is possible. However would it be wise to mess around with your genetics if you had no "saved game" to fall back on?

[Moloch]

Yes. This is possible. However would it be wise to mess around with your genetics if you had no "saved game" to fall back on?

Now that's using some good old fashioned common sense, Raziel. I never even considered that.

[Raziel]

SG-1. Asgard.

@momo: your patronizing is noted.

[Moloch]

SG-1. Asgard.

@momo: your patronizing is noted.

No patronizing in this case, Raz. You legitimately did outthink me this time. Congratulations.

[onishadowolf]

You could have a template saved. Or save a sample of your genetics before tampering. That is if you can revert it back.

[Moloch]

You could have a template saved. Or save a sample of your genetics before tampering. That is if you can revert it back.

A simple retrovirus would do nicely.

[onishadowolf]

Yes that would, or you could use nanotechnology. Use them as a failsafe to go into action when things go bad, modifying viruses to help restore the genome back to the template on file.

[Devious Viper]

Can we or should we control our evolution.
And what would the consequences be of doing so?

We already have the ability to do this. At a basic level, it was first achieved in 2001, when US scientists confirmed that around 30 children had been genetically engineered with an altered germline - "[the] collection of genes that they will pass on to their offspring." Given the current state of knowledge about the human genome, and the experiments already carried out on plants and animals, there is a heck of a lot that we could do to humans at a genetic level... but as the linked article says, "Altering the germline is something that the vast majority of scientists deem unethical given the limitations of our knowledge." I'd go along with that line of thought, although you can bet your bottom $ that Big Pharma doesn't agree with me...