Preface: brave new world reconsidered -- Introduction: biopolitics-fight of the century -- Forever young : the biology and politics of immortality -- Final victory over disease? : building humanity's extended immune system -- Are stem cells babies? : the ethics of making perfect transplants -- Who's afraid of human cloning? -- Hooray for designer babies! -- Biotech cornucopia : improving nature for humanity's benefit -- Changing your own mind : the neuroethics of psychopharmacology -- Conclusion: the age of liberation biology -- Acknowledgements -- Author biography -- Endnotes.
Summary:
By the middle of the 21st century century we can expect that the rapid progress in biotechnology will utterly transform human life. Even the prospect of immortality beckons. Such scenarios excite many people and frighten or appall many others--already biotechnology opponents are organizing political movements aimed at restricting scientific research, banning the development and commercialization of various products and technologies, and limiting citizens' access to the fruits of the biotech revolution. Bailey, science writer for Reason magazine, argues that the coming biotechnology revolution, far from endangering human dignity, will enable more of us to live flourishing lives free of disease, disability, and the threat of early death. Bailey covers the full range of the coming biotechnology breakthroughs, from stem-cell research to third-world farming, from brain-enhancing neuropharmaceuticals to designer babies.--From publisher description.
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