August 10, 2024 • 1hr 50min
#823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes?
Modern Wisdom
Key Takeaways
- IQ and genetics are controversial topics due to historical misuse, but have important implications for society and individual outcomes
- Embryo selection technology is advancing rapidly and will likely become widespread in the coming decades, allowing parents to select for traits like health, intelligence, and personality
- There are both benefits and risks to genetic enhancement, including reducing disease burden but potentially exacerbating inequality
- Public attitudes towards genetic selection vary widely depending on the trait, with more support for selecting against diseases than for traits like intelligence or appearance
- Current "blank slate" ideology denying genetic influences is likely to break down as genetic technologies become more prevalent and accessible
- Moral enhancement through genetic selection is possible but complex, requiring a nuanced approach beyond just increasing empathy or agreeableness
- The adoption of genetic enhancement technologies may lead to significant societal changes in areas like education, politics, and culture over time
Introduction
In this episode, host Chris Williamson interviews Dr. Jonathan Anomaly, a philosopher and author specializing in bioethics and genetic enhancement. They discuss the controversial but important topics of IQ, genetics, and emerging technologies that allow parents to select embryos with desired traits. Dr. Anomaly provides insights on the science behind these technologies, the ethical considerations, and the potential impacts on society.
Topics Discussed
IQ and Genetics (4:09)
The discussion begins by addressing why conversations about IQ are often disliked or avoided:
- Historical misuse of IQ tests to justify discriminatory policies has made the topic taboo
- After World War II, there was a backlash against genetic explanations for group differences
- IQ tests have become more accurate and less culturally biased over time
- IQ correlates with many important life outcomes beyond just academic achievement
Dr. Anomaly emphasizes that while IQ is not everything, it is an important trait with real-world implications: "IQ is a pretty decent predictor of things like marital stability, addictive behavior...even after you've corrected for socioeconomic status."
Embryo Selection and Genetic Enhancement (20:44)
The conversation shifts to emerging technologies that allow parents to select embryos based on genetic traits:
- In vitro fertilization (IVF) combined with genetic screening allows selection among multiple embryos
- Parents can already select for health traits; selection for traits like intelligence is becoming possible
- This technology is likely to become widespread in the coming decades
- Potential benefits include reducing disease burden and slightly increasing cognitive ability
- Risks include exacerbating inequality if only wealthy people have access
Dr. Anomaly predicts rapid adoption: "I think really by the end of this decade there's going to be a lot of uptake. But by a lot, I mean, you know, whatever. A couple percent or something."
Public Attitudes Towards Genetic Selection (1:33:02)
The hosts discuss a study on public attitudes towards polygenic embryo screening:
- High approval for selecting against diseases like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's
- Moderate approval for traits like intelligence
- Low approval for traits like skin color
- Interestingly low approval for traits like extraversion and life satisfaction
Dr. Anomaly notes: "There seems a lot of wisdom in these answers to me. So, first of all, if people are not very superficial, they really care about the quality of their children's lives."
Moral Enhancement (1:01:26)
The discussion explores the possibility of enhancing moral traits through genetic selection:
- Traits like empathy, conscientiousness, and self-control have genetic components
- Simply maximizing empathy or agreeableness may not be ideal
- The goal should be to foster "conditional cooperators" who can punish bad actors
- Moral behavior involves a complex mix of genetic predispositions and cultural norms
Dr. Anomaly argues for a nuanced approach: "What you really wanna do is be disposed, on the one hand, to met out severe punishments, even at a personal cost to yourself, to the psychopathic types, but extend actually quite a bit of decency to normal types and really even amp up cooperation."
The "Blank Slate" Ideology (1:16:12)
The hosts discuss how current "blank slate" ideology denying genetic influences may break down:
- Many academics publicly deny genetic influences while privately acting on that knowledge
- As genetic technologies become more prevalent, this cognitive dissonance will increase
- Eventually, elites may openly acknowledge and use genetic enhancement technologies
- This could lead to a rapid shift in public attitudes, similar to the fall of communism
Dr. Anomaly predicts: "I think what's going to happen is the following. You know, companies come out very, very publicly in the coming years, and they offer, for example, embryo selection for various traits, including personality, intelligence. It's gonna be harder and harder to deny that these things are real, that they're influenced by genes."
Potential Societal Impacts (1:44:07)
The conversation concludes by exploring how widespread genetic enhancement could impact society:
- Reduced disease burden, especially in populations with high rates of consanguineous marriage
- Potential to counteract dysgenic trends in developed countries
- Possible selection for traits like religiosity or political orientation
- Cultural forces may still outweigh genetic influences in the short term
Dr. Anomaly notes both positive and potentially concerning outcomes: "For the most part, you know, things will be quite good, because, as I mentioned, I mean, one in eight people in the world marry their cousin...So we're gonna see a dramatic reduction in disease burden in those parts of the world, and that's gonna lead to, you know, more flourishing for those people."
Conclusion
This wide-ranging conversation explores the complex scientific, ethical, and societal implications of emerging genetic enhancement technologies. While these technologies offer significant potential benefits in reducing disease and potentially improving human capabilities, they also raise challenging ethical questions and could exacerbate existing inequalities if not carefully managed. As these technologies become more prevalent, it is likely to force a reckoning with long-held beliefs about genetic influences on human traits and behavior. The coming decades will likely see heated debates and difficult policy decisions as society grapples with how to ethically harness the power of genetic science.