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Modern WisdomAug 10, 2024

#823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes?

Summary, books mentioned, source context, and timestamps for #823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes? on Modern Wisdom.

Guest

Jonathan Anomaly

Books mentioned

The Precipice The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown Private Truths, Public Lies+1 more

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#823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes? includes mentions of The Precipice by Jord, The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown, Private Truths, Public Lies by Timur Kuran, and The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin, with indexed source context and timestamps where available.

The Precipice The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown Private Truths, Public Lies The Descent of Man

3 books from this episode

The Precipice

Jord

Indexed context: The host mentions 'The Precipice' to highlight the importance of addressing existential risks through moral enhancement and cooperation. They appreci…

The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown

Indexed context: The host emphasizes the importance of understanding the implications of genetic changes over time, referencing the book as a critical resource for th…

Private Truths, Public Lies

Timur Kuran

Indexed context: The host discusses the concept of preference falsification as introduced by Timur Kuran in his book 'Private Truths, Public Lies.' He argues that eli…

Guest: Jonathan Anomaly

Episode summary

Dr Jonathan Anomaly is a philosopher, professor and an author. The concept of hand-selecting your baby’s traits has been an idea since the dawn of genetic science. This technology is now available. But just how ethical is it to shape your child’s destiny, and what unseen problems might a world with this science be facing? Expect to learn why so many people dislike any discussions about IQ, what the moral challenges of embryo selection are, why genetic selection is going to be the biggest global talking point over the next decade, whether you are able to fix evolutionary mismatch with embryo selection, Jonny’s prediction for the future of multiculturalism and much more...

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The Precipice

Jord

The host mentions 'The Precipice' to highlight the importance of addressing existential risks through moral enhanceme…

Card

The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown

The host emphasizes the importance of understanding the implications of genetic changes over time, referencing the bo…

Card

Private Truths, Public Lies

Timur Kuran

The host discusses the concept of preference falsification as introduced by Timur Kuran in his book 'Private Truths,…

Card

The Descent of Man

Charles Darwin

The host references 'The Descent of Man' to discuss the implications of genetic mutations in modern society. They hig…

Card

Chesterton's fence

G.K. Chesterton

The host mentions 'Chesterton's fence' to illustrate the importance of understanding existing social structures befor…

Card

Creating Future People

The host mentions 'Creating Future People' to discuss the implications of genetic enhancement and its ethical conside…

Card

Harrison Bergeron

Kurt Vonnegut

The host references 'Harrison Bergeron' to illustrate the extreme consequences of enforced equality on intelligence.…

Card

Unfit for the Future

Julian Sabalescu

The host mentions 'Unfit for the Future' to highlight concerns about collective action problems, such as climate chan…

Card

Book mentions10

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What is #823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes? about?

Summary, books mentioned, source context, and timestamps for #823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes? on Modern Wisdom.

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What are the main takeaways from #823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes??

These themes are drawn from the indexed episode description and linked mentions for #823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes?.

The conversation centers on collective action problems.
A second recurring theme is blank slate-ism and intelligence.
Referenced books include The Precipice by Jord and The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown.
Related interests include Individuals interested in ethics, cooperation, and existential risks. and Individuals interested in genetics and ethical implications of gene editing..

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Which books are mentioned in #823 - Dr Jonathan Anomaly - Is It Ethical To Hand-Pick Your Child’s Genes??

The Precipice by Jord, The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown, and Private Truths, Public Lies by Timur Kuran are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to source cards and timestamps where available.

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Topics

collective action problems(2)blank slate-ism and intelligence(1)crime rates and abortion(1)cultural forces and education(1)gene editing and genetics(1)gene erosion and mutations(1)IQ and equality discussion(1)preference falsification in elites(1)

Mention types

Deep Dive(4)Critical Analysis(3)Highly Recommended(2)Passing Reference(1)

Related interests

Individuals interested in ethics, cooperation, and existential risks.Individuals interested in genetics and ethical implications of gene editing.Academics and political theoristsListeners interested in evolutionary biology and geneticsIndividuals interested in genetics and social philosophyIndividuals interested in genetics, ethics, and cultural studies.

Books Mentioned

The full list below is ranked by how useful each mention is to a listener: stronger recommendation language, clearer source context, and better timestamp support rise first.

The Precipice

Jord

Best for Individuals interested in ethics, cooperation, and existential risks.Often cited around collective action problems

Indexed context

Jord has written this book, The Precipice, which discusses responses to collective action problems like climate change and nuclear war.

View mention details

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: collective action problems

For: Individuals interested in ethics, cooperation, and existential risks.

Indexed context: I love it. It's one of my top five books ever.

The host mentions 'The Precipice' to highlight the importance of addressing existential risks through moral enhancement and cooperation. They appreciate the book's insights on how to navigate complex social dynamics and collective challenges.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

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The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown

Best for Individuals interested in genetics and ethical implications of gene editing.Often cited around gene editing and genetics

Indexed context

An essay that discusses the implications of gene editing and embryo selection in relation to disease burden.

View mention details

Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: gene editing and genetics

For: Individuals interested in genetics and ethical implications of gene editing.

Indexed context: I actually think that this is an essay everyone should read.

The host emphasizes the importance of understanding the implications of genetic changes over time, referencing the book as a critical resource for this discussion. They argue that the book provides insights into how we can manage genetic burdens through voluntary eugenics or embryo selection.

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Private Truths, Public Lies

Timur Kuran

Best for Academics and political theoristsOften cited around preference falsification in elites

Indexed context

Timur Kuran invented the term preference falsification in his book 'Private Truths, Public Lies', discussing how elites express false preferences while knowing the reality.

View mention details

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: preference falsification in elites

For: Academics and political theorists

Indexed context: My old colleague, Timur Kuran at Duke University, we were colleagues for about seven years in the political science department.

The host discusses the concept of preference falsification as introduced by Timur Kuran in his book 'Private Truths, Public Lies.' He argues that elites publicly deny the reality of genetic influences while privately benefiting from them, leading to a potential shift in societal norms as these truths become acknowledged.

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The Descent of Man

Charles Darwin

Best for Listeners interested in evolutionary biology and geneticsOften cited around gene erosion and mutations

Indexed context

Darwin wrote about the forces that purify the population in nature, indirectly discussing genetic fitness and mutations.

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: gene erosion and mutations

For: Listeners interested in evolutionary biology and genetics

Indexed context: Darwin understood it in the point in terms of, just sort of human welfare, but we can put it in terms of genetic fitness as well.

The host references 'The Descent of Man' to discuss the implications of genetic mutations in modern society. They highlight Darwin's insights on how civilization and healthcare may lead to the accumulation of deleterious traits in the population.

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Chesterton's fence

G.K. Chesterton

Best for Individuals interested in genetics and social philosophyOften cited around social reform and genetics

Indexed context

The metaphor of Chesterton's fence is used to discuss caution in social reform and genetic editing.

View mention details

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: social reform and genetics

For: Individuals interested in genetics and social philosophy

Indexed context: The metaphor of Chesterton's fence is something like this.

The host mentions 'Chesterton's fence' to illustrate the importance of understanding existing social structures before making changes. This metaphor serves as a cautionary tale regarding genetic interventions and the potential consequences of altering human genetics without careful consideration.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

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Creating Future People

Best for Individuals interested in genetics, ethics, and cultural studies.Often cited around cultural forces and education

Indexed context

I have a new book on this. Here it is, Creating Future People, The Science and Ethics of Genetic Enhancement. And you can buy the paperback.

View mention details

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: cultural forces and education

For: Individuals interested in genetics, ethics, and cultural studies.

Indexed context: I have a new book on this. Here it is, Creating Future People, The Science and Ethics of Genetic Enhancement.

The host mentions 'Creating Future People' to discuss the implications of genetic enhancement and its ethical considerations in the context of societal changes. This book serves as a resource for understanding the intersection of science and ethics in shaping future generations amidst evolving cultural dynamics.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Check price

Harrison Bergeron

Kurt Vonnegut

Best for Readers interested in social commentary and dystopian literature.Often cited around IQ and equality discussion

Indexed context

A parable for the discussion on IQ and equality, this story depicts a future where everyone is made equal through extreme measures, including brain implants to limit intelligence.

View mention details

Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: IQ and equality discussion

For: Readers interested in social commentary and dystopian literature.

Indexed context: A parable for the discussion on IQ and equality, this story depicts a future where everyone is made equal through extreme measures, including brain implants to limit intelligence.

The host references 'Harrison Bergeron' to illustrate the extreme consequences of enforced equality on intelligence. This book serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of sacrificing individuality for the sake of uniformity.

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Check price

Unfit for the Future

Julian Sabalescu

Best for Individuals interested in ethics and social cooperationOften cited around collective action problems

Indexed context

Julian Sabalescu, head of the Center for Practical Ethics at Oxford, wrote a book called Unfit for the Future, which addresses collective action problems on a global scale.

View mention details

Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: collective action problems

For: Individuals interested in ethics and social cooperation

Indexed context: And one of the reasons I wrote this book is I was annoyed by one of my colleagues back when I was in academic, and I actually wrote with this colleague.

The host mentions 'Unfit for the Future' to highlight concerns about collective action problems, such as climate change and nuclear war. They critique the idea of simply making people nicer to enhance cooperation, suggesting a more nuanced approach is necessary.

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Guns, Germs, and Steel

Jared Diamond

Best for Individuals interested in the intersection of genetics, intelligence, and socio-economic factors.Often cited around blank slate-ism and intelligence

Indexed context

A very famous and widely read book is Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond, which discusses how history is partly determined by diseases and environmental factors.

View mention details

Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: blank slate-ism and intelligence

For: Individuals interested in the intersection of genetics, intelligence, and socio-economic factors.

Indexed context: So a very famous and widely read book is Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond.

The host mentions 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' to critique the author's stance on intelligence and environmental factors. They highlight how Diamond's arguments reflect a selective application of blank slate ideology, particularly in the context of historical and cultural differences.

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Freakonomics

Stephen Levitt

Best for Listeners interested in economics and social policyOften cited around crime rates and abortion

Indexed context

The argument about the abortion ban and its impact on crime rates was discussed in the book Freakonomics by Stephen Levitt.

View mention details

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: crime rates and abortion

For: Listeners interested in economics and social policy

Indexed context: And of course, the kind of people who wanted an abortion but couldn't afford to go to another state to do it might be a certain kind of person or unwilling to do it or whatever.

The host mentions 'Freakonomics' to illustrate a controversial economic theory linking the legalization of abortion to a decrease in crime rates. This reference serves to highlight the complexities of social interventions and their unintended consequences.

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Book picks by email

Get more book picks with podcast context.

The Precipice

Modern Wisdom · 1:00:22

Indexed context: The host mentions 'The Precipice' to highlight the importance of addressing existential risks through moral enhancement and cooperation. They appreci…

The Race Between Germline Gene Editing and Neurogenetic and Genetic Meltdown

Modern Wisdom · 39:57

Indexed context: The host emphasizes the importance of understanding the implications of genetic changes over time, referencing the book as a critical resource for th…

Private Truths, Public Lies

Modern Wisdom · 1:23:58

Indexed context: The host discusses the concept of preference falsification as introduced by Timur Kuran in his book 'Private Truths, Public Lies.' He argues that eli…

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