Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Animal Augmentation

Wired is running a provoking article that looks at the ethically questionable area of technologically enhancing animals. At first, it read like a review of some bio-art piece, meant to generate discussion, but by the end of the piece, it was clear that some people think augmentation of animals is not only ethically sound but technologically feasible. Wow.

The best quote:
"With children, the insane and the demented we are obliged, when we can, to help these 'disabled citizens' to achieve or regain their full self-determination," says Dr. James J. Hughes, executive director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies and author of Citizen Cyborg. "We have the same responsibility to enhance the intelligence and communication abilities of great apes, and possibly also of dolphins and elephants, when we have the means to do so. Once they are sufficiently enhanced, they can make decisions for themselves, including removing their augmentation."

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