Title: Evolution

No, I don’t think we are evolving at all. Not any more.

Why not?

Because evolution is the result of adaptation to environmental pressures. Since we can change our environment, the pressure is off.

What if we lose our ability to control our environment?

That would be bad. But I don’t see how that would happen.

What about a nuclear war?

If it didn’t kill us, maybe we’d mutate into some horrible nightmare of a creature.

Okay, but barring that, we’re doomed to stay as we are? Bad backs and all?

No. Because we are about to have direct control over our own DNA.

That doesn’t sound good.

Why wouldn’t we want that control? Natural evolution has been a painful bloody process driven by disease and murder.

That’s true. But I’m not sure I trust the scientists to do much better.

How could they do worse than disease and murder?

They could murder us all by creating a terrible disease. Or some of us could end up as a horrible nightmare of a creature.

But the horrible nightmare creatures would think that it is the normal way to be.

Maybe. But I really don’t want two heads and six feet that glow in the dark.

I think the goal is mostly along the lines of fixing genetic disorders. Curing cancer. And enhanced performance.

What about man-bear-pig?

I can’t wait to get my claws.

That’s the ethical problem though, isn’t it? What if I can’t afford to get claws?

Then I guess you’ll be ripped apart. Just kidding! Maybe there will be a coupon day for bear claws.

So instead of the arms race we have the bear claw race?

We might need them to fight off the horrible nightmare creatures.