“In Homo Deus, author Yuval Noah Harari argues that advances in science and technology will lead to improved human performance, but this can have side effects such as biological discrimination, ethical issues, and the loss of genetic diversity. We need to think carefully about whether enhanced performance is truly necessary for humans and whether it can guarantee a good life.
“In Homo Deus, author Yuval Noah Harari argues that advances in science and technology will make humans stronger in the future, including through biotechnology. For example, performance enhancements such as stronger immune systems, higher-than-average memory, brighter temperaments, and genius artists and athletes will inevitably be attempted. Just as plastic surgery, which began as a way to repair facial scars on war-wounded soldiers, has morphed into a tool to improve the appearance of healthy people and make the rich look good, performance enhancements that were initially intended to be therapeutic will eventually become performance enhancements themselves.
Throughout history, the rich and the so-called elite have enjoyed many social and political advantages, but the biological differences between them and the poor have not been significant. However, human performance enhancement can make a biological difference. The difference in our physical and cognitive abilities can actually increase, making us separate from those who don’t receive performance enhancements, perhaps even superhuman. But, fundamentally, we need to ask ourselves if we really need these performance enhancements.
First, think about why you want performance enhancements. Of course, performance enhancement can be done therapeutically to reduce discomfort in your life. However, the most likely reason for performance enhancement (intelligence, athleticism, etc.) is the desire to be better than others. So, where does the endless comparison end, and is it possible to artificially enhance human performance so easily? And even if it were possible, it’s doubtful that it would truly benefit the person’s life, since the performance improvement would not be the result of their own efforts.
With drugs, you never feel bad, you always feel good, and you always feel pleasure. However, we can easily predict what happens to drug addicts. It’s seductive to have something that comes easily and without effort, but eventually they become dependent on it, wanting more and despairing because they can’t get it in real life. Of course, the drug example is extreme, but performance enhancement can also lead to a codependent life, where comparison to others will keep calling for more and more enhancement, and eventually, the person will not be able to stand on their own two feet.
Next, consider the problems that might arise if performance enhancement leads to superhumanization. Humans have been classified by status, but their essential structure has not changed. However, if we can change the structure of a human being, such as their intelligence or physical body, this would create a more fundamental difference than the existing differences based on status and wealth. Perhaps a new hierarchy between humans and superhumans could be created, with superhumans considered superior to non-enhanced humans. In such a situation, non-enhanced humans would be discriminated against even more, which is ethically undesirable.
There are also ethical issues. It would be difficult to enhance humans who have already grown and stabilized in order to improve their performance. So an easy way to think about it is to manipulate them in the embryonic state, when many things are still undetermined. But to create a customized baby, there will be many failures, just as there were 250 failures before Dolly the cloned sheep was born, and the failed embryos will be discarded. Since embryos can be considered life, discarding these failures could lead to a disregard for human life. Furthermore, who will be responsible if a deformed child is accidentally born? The ethical questions would be endless.
There’s also the issue of genetic diversity. Maintaining genetic diversity is important for the survival of a species. For example, bananas have been monocultured for greater profit, and 95% of bananas sold on the market are now a single variety called Cavendish. However, this monoculturing has created an environment that is vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases, and other varieties of bananas are threatened with extinction. While there is no guarantee that human performance improvements will make us less susceptible to emerging infectious diseases, it is possible that genetic diversity will be compromised in the process of selecting for better genes. If a new infectious disease were to emerge in such a situation, the consequences could be catastrophic.
There’s also the issue of social diversity. Human beings are naturally diverse, and the harmony of this diversity has created a variety of cultures. However, the selection of genes that are better at improving performance will create a rigid culture and create a social atmosphere that does not respect diversity. The result would be a world with fewer new and creative cultural products.
It’s also worth asking whether enhanced human performance is a good thing. For example, is it a good thing to have a higher-than-average memory? Humans seek mental order and stability through forgetting. If you can’t forget painful memories, it can be detrimental to your mental health and even lead to mental illness. Genius artists don”t always lead happy lives. The artist Vincent van Gogh was very sensitive and unstable, and he ended his life by committing suicide. Having more muscle mass than others doesn”t necessarily mean superiority. In some situations, having more muscle mass can be a disadvantage.
In other words, just because it improves performance doesn’t mean it guarantees a good life. Being better at something can be a disadvantage in some situations. It”s impossible to determine which human traits are good and which are bad.
Furthermore, the pursuit of performance improvement can be seen as a pursuit of perfection, a state of being without mistakes. However, we should recognize the value of imperfection. Humans have grown up with deficiencies and pain, and these experiences have shaped our humanity. If imperfection is removed, it is doubtful that we will be able to retain the humanity that has allowed us to empathize with imperfection.
While the idea of enhanced performance is futuristic, Yuval Noah Harari, author of Homo Deus, warns that it will inevitably happen. However, enhanced performance does not necessarily mean that we will become superhuman and live a good life. We need to think carefully about the negative consequences of performance enhancement. Performance enhancements that are simply driven by a desire to be better than others should be carefully considered.
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