Human augmentation.

[Cranyx]

With all of the trailers that are coming out for the upcoming Eidos game, Deus Ex: human revolution there is a common reoccurring theme, the morality of human augmentation. Now the idea of "human purity" and tampering with that via science has always been discussed for a long time, but as medical science advances we seem to be coming to a point where it could be very real.

So what are your opinions on the topic? Do you believe that the human body should not be polluted with machinery, do you think it is OK only if it is for medical "repairs" such as paraplegics? Or are in complete support of using technology to improve the human species as a whole?

How far is too far, if there is a limit?



"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is the most adaptable to change"
-Charles Darwin

 

[Drenaje1]

Personally, I'm in favor of such augmentations, so long as they're not designed with some kind of offensive ability in mind. Such augmentations offer so much to us, specifically, replacing limbs or damaged/useless organs. Of course, if we start doing that then we might run into a situation where people might be living forever, meaning there wouldn't be enough space for as many people anymore. Although, we might even do away with the need to consume foodstuffs, just have little nanites manufacture the required nutrients, but still, we can't just continue building cities and raping the the land for resources, otherwise we'll have a dying planet on our hands.

Oi. Well, it'll still be a while before we see anything even remotely like this, but I'm generally supportive of the idea, so long as we can solve the problems that would come with it.

 

[ChildofGallifrey]

Personally, I'm in favor of such augmentations, so long as they're not designed with some kind of offensive ability in mind. Such augmentations offer so much to us, specifically, replacing limbs or damaged/useless organs. Of course, if we start doing that then we might run into a situation where people might be living forever, meaning there wouldn't be enough space for as many people anymore. Although, we might even do away with the need to consume foodstuffs, just have little nanites manufacture the required nutrients, but still, we can't just continue building cities and raping the the land for resources, otherwise we'll have a dying planet on our hands.

Oi. Well, it'll still be a while before we see anything even remotely like this, but I'm generally supportive of the idea, so long as we can solve the problems that would come with it.

Hey, if this game proves correct we're less than 2 decades out! I agree with the rest of what you said though.

I would definitely be all for augs that compliment our natural abilities. Can you imagine how much more exciting sports would be? Imagine American football with all the players outfitted with speed and agility enhancing augs! Think about the kind of amazing passes quarterbacks could pull off with some sort of retinal booster. Hell, with a sort of hardiness boosting aug (for want of a better term) we could very nearly cut out sports related injuries.

Of course, that's just me thinking superficially. It would have all sorts of practical applications as well. Isn't that pretty much the beginning of the game? Jensen is fatally wounded but is held over by getting augmented? The medical field would be completely revolutionized.

 

[ZeroMachine]

My view is quite simple... Human augmentation should only be used for people with needs (missing limbs, eyes, etc) or for military applications.

Civilians without any issue shouldn't be allowed to do it. Or, at the very least, have an extensive background check done. We're talking "makes the guy uncomfortable" extensive, to the point where the only people that would be left are those without anything to hide.

 

[emeraldrafael]

I find the idea slightly.. unsettling. I already dont like plastic surgery unless its for an extreme case (like a chimp ripping off your face, or skin graphs for horrible scarring). The idea that a person can have a metal arm instead of a regular one also sets a who new precendent for changes in assault and weapons laws.

... and until it became mandatory, you couldnt compete professionally in sports.

I dont know. I just find the idea that you're not compfortable in your own skin, so you'll fix it with body modding to be unsettling. It just leads to a future where no one is happy they way they're born and even the slightest imperfections will mean that you're a freak and you wont want to exist, or worse your parents deciding for you.

 

[jobu59749]

I dont know. I just find the idea that you're not compfortable in your own skin, so you'll fix it with body modding to be unsettling. It just leads to a future where no one is happy they way they're born and even the slightest imperfections will mean that you're a freak and you wont want to exist, or worse your parents deciding for you.

This already happens...it wouldn't be new. Welcome to humanity. With free will...we will never be happy about a lot of things. Including but not limited to our body.

 

[Nickolai77]

Well, i believe that mature people of sound minds should have ultimate autonomy over their bodies- and if they want to they can pimp it up as much as they like. So long as they themselves can pay for it that is. And let's face it, i think most body-mods are going to be pretty damn expensive, even in the far future.

Of course, body-mods such as artificial limbs, glasses, new organs etc that are needed for medical purposes should be paid for by the state, but if you want any form of enhancements for non medical (or non-military) reasons, it's coming out of your own pocket.

 

[Matthew Dunn]

Think on how many peoples lives would be improved by artificial limbs
People would be able to walk again
Be able to see
and other stuff

 

[hannes2]

I think "repairing" injuries is alright. If someone loses an arm or a leg and it´s possible to replace it, go for it. Same goes for paraplegics and similar cases. I´m a little torn on anything beyond that. If you replace organs because they stopped working, you´re eliminating a whole lot of natural causes of death and a lot of people would live quite a bit longer than they do now. I´m not sure if that´s a good or a bad thing, but it may cause problems.
As for improvements, I don´t have a problem with the concept, but there´s almost definitely going to be some sort of economy behind something like that, so if you´re rich (maybe because of your parents or whatever) you can afford augmentations, which means you´re going to be better than someone without them at any activity that lets you use them, which will likely be a job, so you´re going to get some more money to pay for your kids´ augmentations and so on. Can´t afford them? Well, fuck you.

 

[Arfonious]

Hail to the Omnissia!!!

Well, it's a moral question really, but basicly

For people who need it: Fantastic
For people who wants it for "ze lulz": Go right ahead, but I won't try it

 

[Chogg Van Helsing]

I personally wish to eventually replace each part of my body with machines, except my brain.

Thus, gaining a fashion of immortality

 

[stefanbertramlee]

Very very much for, but I would prefer brain uploads.

 

[Commissar Sae]

If it can alter me sufficienty so that I'm free of the pain in the ass muscle/nervous condition I have then by all means replace whats needs to be replaced with bionic counterparts. Replacing my shoddy eyes might also be good.

That said I probably wouldn't augment myself that much baring major accident causing limb loss, not worth it imo.

 

[werty10089]

I'm in favour as long as the possible hyper-lifespans granted are not long enough to worsen our situation of overcrowding or famine. I agree the stressing of non-offensive capabilities, as well as the ideology of a monopoly of super-humans domineering over the rest of us. If these services are granted to us, they should be granted to ALL of us, meaning a low cost. It would be terrible to see such technology worsening the ever growing class war.

 

[orangeban]

at the risk of sounding like a crazed scientist (MUAHAHAHAHAHA) we must rise up and break the shackles of nature. Though I oppose eugenics, and the augmentations must, *must* be free, or we risk of making the class divisions in humanity even larger. And of course, those who refuse to be augmented should be respected and treated the same as any other human.

 

[emeraldrafael]

I dont know. I just find the idea that you're not compfortable in your own skin, so you'll fix it with body modding to be unsettling. It just leads to a future where no one is happy they way they're born and even the slightest imperfections will mean that you're a freak and you wont want to exist, or worse your parents deciding for you.

This already happens...it wouldn't be new. Welcome to humanity. With free will...we will never be happy about a lot of things. Including but not limited to our body.

I know, hence why i said I dont like it, except for the incidents mentioned above.

 

[Cyanin]

Do it do it do it. I can't really see a problem, until people start becoming more machine than person.

Anything that isn't to repair mobility or function of the 5 senses, is a difficult one. Like if they try to adapt thought, that's where you lose me. Something "improving" logic or thought process I would stay right away from it. But mobility, sight, hearing, touch, even taste, would be amazing if we could repair them properly.

Though to be honest replacing anything with something "non-human" I.e, a human hand with a saw blade, is probably a bit much. =P

 

[Hoplon]

I don't see them as immoral but then I need new eyes after my own immune system tried to send me blind.