[SocratesV]

Going to potentially be controversial, but we need (might be a strong word here) genetic manipulation with strong ethical and humanist values attached to it (and a lot more knowledge).

If we are to deny natural selection its role, then we might want to still prevent people from passing on genes which effectively handicap them when they don't have access to certain facilities and technology. Prevention in this case is not eugenics, but gene manipulation/therapy.

Having said this, what we most certainly don't want is genetic standardisation (good path for extinction) and even the manipulation of genes, that seem to cause "problems" (today's problems might be tomorrow's cure), needs a deep understanding of implications, which at the moment we probably don't have.

P.S.: Hold the similar view regarding GMO in food.

[pg314]

That already happens sometimes: it's called IVF with PGD (pre-implantation genetic diagnosis). Before an embryo is implanted a cell is taken from it and tested for genetic defects.

It's an expensive and convoluted process, so it's only done when one or both of the parents are carriers of a serious genetic mutation.

[nugget]

> it's only done when one or both of the parents are carriers of a serious genetic mutation

I have friends who have done PGD simply to select the gender of their child. Once researchers identify reliable genetic markers for height and intelligence, expect PGD to become rapidly more popular among the upper class.

[sjg007]

Well you can just pick a spouse who is tall and smart?

[antisthenes]

Then how do you deal with people who did not get a tall and smart spouse?

[Grangar]

I'm no evolutionary scientist, but haven't we as a species already denied natural selection long ago?

For evolution you need physical separation. With our level of globalisation that's not going to work.

[qb45]

> For evolution you need physical separation. With our level of globalisation that's not going to work.

Global empires are nature's way to shuffle some genes around and reduce inbreeding. Then individual nations start to exploit the empire for their selfish benefit, everything falls apart and nature runs an iteration of competitive evolution for a change. Rinse, repeat.

Disclaimer: talking out of my ass :)

[nitrogen]

For speciation you need some kind of separation, which does now sometimes happen within a generation (e.g. one social group refusing to date another social group), but is very unlikely to persist across many generations.

Evolution by natural or sexual selection within a single species can still occur.

[m_eiman]

haven't we as a species already denied natural selection long ago?

No, how could we? We have influenced external pressures such as predators on our selection, at most.

[dharma1]

It's a very complex issue, but my gut feeling is we should not allow germline editing on humans. It's a Pandora's box and the goal posts will keep moving with fundamental consequences to our species. Also like you say we are dealing with extremely complex systems, where uninteded effects might become apparent only generations later