humanity, revised and edited

I was talking to a friend of mine recently about the idea of democracy; how the limits of a democracy are the limits of its people. This got me thinking about how mutable those limits can become in an increasingly technological society. We're living in a time where the idea of human enhancement is beginning to become feasible.


In a sense, human beings have been able to enhance their memory and knowledge base indirectly ever since the creation of writing. Using technology to extend human capabilities is hardly a new idea; indeed it's not even limited to humans.

What is changing, though, is our ability to internalize our technology and use it to transform ourselves. Genetic engineering and cybernetic modification have already become a reality. We're fast approaching a future of designer babies and brain-computer interface. Imagine being able to take a drug that will introduce an artificial retrovirus capable of reprogramming your DNA to remove inherited diseases or even add new abilities. Imagine getting 24-hour wireless internet access directly through an implanted modem connected to a network of artificial neurons overlaying your brain tissue.

How would this change the way we operate as a society? Could we vote directly through brain implants on every issue that affects us? What happens to the idea that "all men are created equal" when some of them have enhanced mental faculties and strength? Will these things only be the purview of the rich, allowing income disparity to become internalized in our own biology? Right now there are more questions than answers, but it's fascinating to speculate what these nascent technologies will bring in their maturity.