Genetic Engineering
Science Content
You can genetically engineer organisms for fun and profit!
Below, you’ll find a video that’s a general overview of a tool that’s used for most modern genetic engineering: CRISPR/Cas9. Please watch this and take notes!
Please also take a gander at the second video below, which is his announcement that he performed the first genetic modification of humans using this technology.
Philosophy Content
Our philosophy content this week will focus on the ethics of human enhancement. That’s obviously a relevant topic in the context of genetic engineering. But it is also relevant to other topics we’ll be discussing this semester.
On Thursday, you’ll be introduced to a group that is in really (as in REALLY) into human enhancement: the Transhumanists.
Before class, you should read “What is Transhumanism” and “Transhumanist Values,” both by Nick Bostrom. The essays are short, and a wild read.
If you have some extra time (haha), you can also read the New Yorker’s profile of Nick Bostrum. The one is completely optional.
Fiction Content
The goal for this week is for you to get through roughly half of Margaret Atwood’s novel, Oryx and Crake!