The Wisdom of Nature: An Evolutionary Heuristic for Human Enhancement
The report examines the concept of “wisdom of nature” in relation to human enhancement, proposing a heuristic based on evolutionary medicine to identify when it might be feasible to improve upon natural human traits.
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| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Report location: | source |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: |
Oxford University |
| Authors: | Anders Sandberg, Nick Bostrom |
| Geographic focus: | Global |
Methods
The research method involves developing a heuristic inspired by evolutionary medicine to evaluate when human enhancements might be justified. This heuristic considers the complexity of human evolution and the potential for interventions to fail or backfire. It aims to extract the truth behind the belief in nature's wisdom while identifying cases where human improvement is possible.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
Key Insights
The report explores the idea that complex evolved systems like humans are difficult to enhance due to our limited understanding. It suggests that while nature's design is intricate, there are cases where human intervention could feasibly lead to improvements. The authors develop a heuristic to discern when enhancements might be justified, acknowledging the grain of truth in the belief that nature often knows best, but also recognizing exceptions where human science and technology could offer benefits.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
Additional Viewpoints
Categories: English publication language | Global geographic scope | brain complexity | complexity | enhancement | evolution | evolutionary medicine | heuristic development | human beings | human enhancement | human nature | human organism | intervention failure | interventions | nature | nature's wisdom | sustainability | therapeutic medicine. | wisdom of nature