I would support the development of a "bionic" person. The bionic eye and bionic hand are fascinating technological developments that can help a person with health ailments or disabilities, and provide a person with a state of normalcy that enable a person to conduct normal activities and substantially improve the quality of life. I don't support the development of a "bionic" person in the sense of being superhuman or developing capabilities beyond the normal human spectrum. I feel that since the human body is a system and humans exist in a greater system of the environment, the future ramifications of superhuman developments cannot be predicted nor imagined, and deference should be given to the divine intelligence of Nature's creation.
I think that the development of a "bionic" person for military purposes brings up the question of ethics in technology. Just like how medicine can be used to heal or to hurt, technology can be used to benefit or to harm. I don't think that bionics should be used for military purposes because the risk of the technology falling into the wrong hands is a significant consequence. Nuclear warfare has the capability for mass destruction, and I can see the possibility of bionics contributing to warfare that is also immensely destructive.
Your point about how the consequences of superhuman developments cannot be fathomed is interesting. It makes me think about all the crazy intelligent things humans have already developed that are proving to have disastrous consequences on our planet now. Consequences which many of us may not have predicted or imagined when they were invented. Experimenting and stepping into unknown territory can be extremely useful, and the mistakes we make along the way can help us improve as a species. However, our curiosity has been very destructive. Seems like the best thing to do is to have right intention. And then the question becomes...what is "right"?
ReplyDelete