論工業社會及其未來-122
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即使醫學的進展可以在不依靠其它技術系統下持續,這樣的進展本身也會帶來禍害。
舉例來說,假設能治癒糖尿病的方法被發現了。帶有糖尿病傾向基因的人們將可以如正常人一樣存活並繁衍。對糖尿病基因的自然選擇將中止,導致這些基因在整個人群中傳播。(這可能在某種程度上已經發生,因為雖然糖尿病無法被治癒,可以透過使用胰島素來控制。)
相同的事將會發生在易受人群基因退化影響的其它疾病上。對此唯一的解決方法將會是某種優生學計畫或廣泛的人類基因工程,因此未來的人將不再是自然、偶然或上帝的創造(取決於你的宗教或哲學觀),而是被製造的產品。
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Even if medical progress could be maintained without the rest of the technological system, it would by itself bring certain evils. Suppose for example that a cure for diabetes is discovered. People with a genetic tendency to diabetes will then be able to survive and reproduce as well as anyone else. Natural selection against genes for diabetes will cease and such genes will spread throughout the population. (This may be occurring to some extent already, since diabetes, while not curable, can be controlled through use of insulin.) The same thing will happen with many other diseases susceptibility to which is affected by genetic degradation of the population. The only solution will be some sort of eugenics program or extensive genetic engineering of human beings, so that man in the future will no longer be a creation of nature, or of chance, or of God (depending on your religious or philosophical opinions), but a manufactured product.
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