EDST 391 Ethics & the Human Genome
Name:
Date:
"Calendar"
Assignment for
Day 8
Beware
what you seek? The lure of
immortality
Readings:
Writing
assignment--a concise half page:
-
Background:
Man is the only creature with sufficient self-knowledge to know that he is
mortal. Throughout recorded history men have dreamed of becoming immortal.
Jonathan Swift imagines a world in which some individuals are.
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Task:
Think about the lessons or cautions that Swift's
account holds for us in our pursuit of genomically-facilitated
medical advancements. What (in your view) is his most important lesson, and why? Please explain.
For discussion: Compare Swift's scenario of immortality to
the Brave New World's "solution" to
aging and death. What are the tradeoffs they represent?