Once all genes of the human genome have been mapped in all their functions, human genetic enhancement will in principle become safe and unstoppable. The issue is not whether mass genetic enhancement will take place – it will – but rather what legal safeguards will be put around it.
There are a number of problems with genetic enhancement of human embryos: a) dictatorships could abuse genetic enhancement for their own nefarious purposes, b) new forms of mass genetic inequality could arise, c) market forces could bring undue pressure on prospective parents, d) there could be an international arms race in nationalist eugenics, e) new forms of pathology could occur as a result of lack of regulation, f) human society could be engineered by market forces in ways dystopian and g) valuable genetic diversity could be eliminated.
So what is needed? There has to be international regulation of genetic enhancement on the level of the World Health Organization (WHO). Genetic health needs to be defined as a broad spectrum delimited by the pathological for society and for the individual. Any genetic modification of a human embryo within the healthy spectrum needs to be fully legal and entirely be left to the discretion of the parents. E.g. would typically boldness as a genetic trait be reduced in embryos risking Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD) while reversely boldness as a genetic trait would be enhanced in embryos having low boldness as a genetic trait. Virtually all parents would tend to optimize genetic health within the WHO-sanctioned salutogenic spectrum. WHO would set caps on genetic enhancement for all genetic traits; e.g. would enhancement of IQ be limited to the ceiling of approximately IQ 120 because higher average IQ than that would have dystopian consequences in intelligence overruling empathy. It would be illegal in all countries to make any genetic modification beyond the salutogenic spectrum. Genetic dysfunction would thus be significantly reduced as the pathological spectrum would virtually disappear.
Gestation would fully voluntarily take place in artificial uteri thus emancipating women and enabling same-sex male couples to have children. Both genetic modification of human embryos and artificial uteri should be available free of charge to all humans in all countries.
Children would be emancipated. While all prospective parents would be free to genetically design their children within the salutogenic spectrum, children would no longer be the property of adults. Psychological mismatch between child and parent is common and will be resolved through AI matching of children with new parents if the child so desires. Other options available to children and parents would be Israeli-style youth villages and kibbutz-style Children’s home with children living partially in the Children’s home and partially with parents. Initially would parents be able to choose collective frameworks for their infants and toddlers but as soon as children have agency for articulating their needs would they be entitled to live in a different framework than that chosen by their parents whether a family or a collective framework. In case of separation of parents would the child choose which parent to live with or whether there should be shared custody. Eventually would youth villages supplant nuclear families with parents and children choosing to stay in touch and socialize as much as they mutually see fit. Neither parents nor children would be legally coerced in their mutual relations. This would significantly increase fertility.
Aliyah Organization 