"Robert J. Bradbury" <bradbury@aeiveos.wa.com> writes:
> And yet a final interesting topic would be whether or not societies
> will mandate genetic engineering when it becomes feasible to
> "pacify" criminals or "improve" the intelligence of the below average?
> The first country that mandates "peaceful" "smart" people is going
> to have a huge competitive advantage.
Will it? These people will take 18+ years to grow up to become
productive citizens, so it is in any case a very long term
investment. Some lower healthcare costs for healthy children will of
course show up fairly quickly, but I guess that is not a strong factor
in the economy. Also, once these children grow up there is no
guarantee they will remain and help the GNP, they might all move to
Silicon Valley (or Plasmide Peak or Nanotech Island or wherever)
unless strong disincentives are put in place, and these disincentives
are likely dampers on the competitive advantage too.
All in all, it seems to be a rather uncertain and long-term way of
improving a national competitive advantage, and hence not likely to
appeal to politicians. It might actually help more by attracting
ambitious, well-off couples to come to the nation to have their
children, that would be a much more direct effect.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
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