Vatican's Statement On Human Enhancements

[franciscanheart]

Interesting, Red. I'll do some poking around too, see what I can find.

[HisChildForever]

This topic reminds me of the film [url="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/"]Gattaca[/url]. We watched some of it in one of my undergrad philosophy classes.

[Winchester]

I'm planning on becoming a cyborg, and I'm hoping the Singularity hits prior to my death.

[CatholicCid]

I don't believe you will find much direct Church teaching on these matters. Given the infancy or non-existence of such technologies (suggested in the book you are reviewing), the Church hasn't addressed the matters directly yet. Considering how fast these technologies emerge, the Vatican keeps itself busy addressing the current technology. For example, DP addressed [i]Intracytoplasmic sperm injection[/i] in 2008. That procedure, however, came about in the early 1990's. Man pushes the boundaries faster than the ethicists can keep up.

You could, however, use the current documents and extrapolate upon them. It would seem a viable argument to take what the Vatican says concerning enhancement of embryos and make an argument on the licit-ness of such enhancements on adults. It wouldn't be a plug of actual Church teaching, but, frankly, such teaching hasn't been addressed officially yet.

One bioethical book that could serve as a good reference for you would be: Biomedicine and Beatitude: An Introduction to Catholic Bioethics
[url="http://www.amazon.com/Biomedicine-Beatitude-Introduction-Catholic-Bioethics/dp/0813218829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343354265&sr=8-1&keywords=Biomedicine+and+Beatitude%3A+An+Introduction+to+Catholic+Bioethics"]http://www.amazon.com/Biomedicine-Beatitude-Introduction-Catholic-Bioethics/dp/0813218829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343354265&sr=8-1&keywords=Biomedicine+and+Beatitude%3A+An+Introduction+to+Catholic+Bioethics[/url].

[xTrishaxLynnx]

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1343339020' post='2459139']
I'm reviewing this book: [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385535155"]http://www.amazon.co...duct/0385535155[/url]

and in my review, i want to give a plug to Church teaching on transhumanism/human enhancements/etc.
[/quote]


I think this might work for you:




From: [url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20040723_communion-stewardship_en.html"]INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION; COMMUNION AND STEWARDSHIP: Human Persons Created in the Image of God[/url]



[quote] [size=4][color=#000000][font='Times New Roman']91. Enhancement genetic engineering aims at improving certain specific characteristics. The idea of man as “co-creator” with God could be used to try to justify the management of human evolution by means of such genetic engineering. But this would imply that man has full right of disposal over his own biological nature. Changing the genetic identity of man as a human person through the production of an infrahuman being is radically immoral. The use of genetic modification to yield a superhuman or being with essentially new spiritual faculties is unthinkable, given that the spiritual life principle of man – forming the matter into the body of the human person – is not a product of human hands and is not subject to genetic engineering. The uniqueness of each human person, in part constituted by his biogenetic characteristics and developed through nurture and growth, belongs intrinsically to him and cannot be instrumentalized in order to improve some of these characteristics. A man can only truly improve by realizing more fully the image of God in him by uniting himself to Christ and in imitation of him. Such modifications would in any case violate the freedom of future persons who had no part in decisions that determine his bodily structure and characteristics in a significant and possibly irreversible way. Gene therapy, directed to the alleviation of congenital conditions like Down's syndrome, would certainly affect the identity of the person involved with regard to his appearance and mental gifts, but this modification would help the individual to give full expression to his real identity which is blocked by a defective gene.[/font][/color]

[color=#000000][font='Times New Roman']92. Therapeutic interventions serve to restore the physical, mental and spiritual functions, placing the person at the center and fully respecting the finality of the various levels in man in relation to those of the person. Possessing a therapeutic character, medicine that serves man and his body as ends in themselves respects the image of God in both. [/font][/color][/size][/quote]

Edited July 27, 2012 by xTrishaxLynnx

[Amppax]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1343349426' post='2459171']
I'm planning on becoming a cyborg, and I'm hoping the Singularity hits prior to my death.
[/quote]

You're luck, it'll be a Pluralarity.

[fides' Jack]

[quote name='jaime' timestamp='1343329212' post='2459080']
Really? I think Red is trying to have a serious discussion here with a thoughtful question. And instead of adding to it, you have to post a silly Star Trek meme right out of the gate? How about showing some maturity?

Getting back to the subject: Red I think going DD or larger is not practical. That's just my opinion. I will support you whatever you decide.
[/quote]

You're just jealous you didn't do it first.

Red - I'm sorry. I knew you wanted a serious thread, and so my offense was intentional.

[fides' Jack]

More to the point, I think Trisha gave the best response.