Human Enhancement

The detox with Naltrexone can help. It blocks heroine's pathway and can get a person out of the "high" real fast.

But it's not a perminate solution.

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

What if some part of your body were not only inferior, but actually riskier? Like, say we design an artificial heart that is fully accepted by the immune system, impervious to electronic attacks, and more reliable than a natural heart. You can still say that you want your natural heart 'while it can still get the job done', but with an organ like that, once it stops getting the job done, it's kinda too late to decide you want a replacement.

Join my forum game!

On this whole false teeth thing. You guys are forgetting how horrible dental care used to be. It was not uncommon to die from infections from absecesses in the teeth and gums. Removin the teeth and getting dentures effectively eliminated that. Never mind the amount of damage from injury, poor dental hygeine, and other dental issues rapidly destroyed teeth.

Having all your teeth pulled and putting in dentures would be a blessing compared to the suffering,illness, and risk of serious health issues you faced if you kept them all.

These days with modern medicine we have alternatives.

This is pretty much the way of medicine. At one point all medicine was kind of blunt or primitive compared to options we have now.

Using human enhancement both preventitive and as replacements may do the same thing. Hell we could possibly grow better teeth in vat if the tech gets far enough.

edited 14th Mar '13 4:37:24 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Who watches the watchmen?

Replacing what the gods gave you is silly if it's working. replacing an organ that is failing makes sense.

Clutch a bottle of pills for the rest of your life or (someday) get an operation and be fine? Progress.

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

Not everyone believes in god(s) given body parts.

Anyone should have the right to choose an augmentation regardless of how outsiders see it. We aren't in their body, we don't live their life, we don't have to accept the consequences of it. They are under no obligation to explain themselves to us.

As long as it is a medically secure procedure, then have at it. I had a breast reduction. I'd be really pissed if someone tried to stop me because I was messing with my "natural, divinely given body."

"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur

....have people?

hashtagsarestupid

Even if what you're replacing it works better (which is what this entire issue boils down to)? Because otherwise that boils down to the naturalistic fallacy.

Actually, given that one could argue that it is an inherent part of human nature to alter the world around us for our own benefit (be it real or merely perceived) that extending that tendency to our own bodies is entirely natural now that the ability is (almost) in our grasp.

Like the wholesale teeth replacement mentioned previously, it conveyed distinct advantages in the form of avoiding potentially life threatening complications in later life makes it (at least from where I'm sitting) not an entirely unreasonable course of action. Modern interventions of things like fluoridated toothpaste, filling cavities and other such actions are really not different in nature, merely more refined in their approach.

Joey, humm?

"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur

Did people give you shit for your breast reduction.

hashtagsarestupid

Surgery is painful and today has a host of complications.

Undo that and sure, if an organ is a leap forward, why not? I'f it's needed for a job or the environment.

A buddy of mine turned down lasik because he has 20/30 in one eye and 20/40 in the other. It would be painfull surgery and his glasses are featherwieght.

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

@ Joey, sorry, I thought that's what you meant.

During the process, no. Now I have gotten flack from people after they found out I had one. Girls normally bitch how lucky I was to be that big and how they would die to have breasts that size. Then again, girl's bitch how big I am still. I just tell them I'll give them my chest for their spine.

Guys are more understanding. I've had some tell me that I could afford to go down more. Some say I took too much off but they get why I did it. Guys are more supportive in general.

"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur

Yeah I can sort of relate to that. I guess if society told you big is better all your life you're going to take issue with anyone who finds fault with being larger.

For example most men have trouble believing me when I tell them I have to rehem most of my trousers to fit my crotch size.

Honest.

hashtagsarestupid

See, I wouldn't say girls are told bigger is better. Even after my reduction I'm still a 34 DD. Most women I know are either a B or a C.

But that's why I don't knock people who do want enhancements, even if just for cosmetic purposes. I don't have to live it, so I can't really judge.

I can tell the girl who wishes she was my size all the problems I have so she can make an informed decision. But we already have so many odd things: gold teeth, horns and holes, implants for the chest, butt, and even guys are getting calf implants.

What's the difference between a guy implanting a GPS ora radio in their arm when we have people who turn themselves into lizards and cats? At least a GPS is useful.

"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

It's just that every beholder is really fucking different.

Gold was originally a practical material in dentistry. It's malleable, nearly immune to corrosion, hard enough to form a bite and unlike mercury is completely non toxic.

Who ever thought grills were a good idea however deserves a painfull death from metal posioning.

edited 15th Mar '13 8:26:31 AM by joeyjojo

hashtagsarestupid

It's the freedom to choose. If someone want's to replace their fully functional liver, I don't wanna pay for it. If they can pay for it, and want the painful surgery, more power to'em. And if their new cyberliver works, good. Someone has to blaze the trail and jump on the risk grenade.

A fool and her money are soon parted, that's why grills and bad tats are here to stay.

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

I think that in many cases, physical augmentations might turn out to be not only more invasive, but less useful than a combination of virtual reality and telepresence.

I mean, what would be better: to have some permanent mechanical wings implanted on you, with the additional encumbrance, energy requirements (which would be huge) and danger of use, or to be able to remotely operate at a distance a tiny, "Tinkerbell-like" winged robotic humanoid, while receiving all of its sensory input?

edited 15th Mar '13 9:46:30 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

That's a pretty specific example tho, without mentionning I haven't yet met or seen anyone remotely suggesting such a permanent implant, a jet pack would be better suited, or what you suggested.

A more realistic example would be mechanical arms/torso, where the human skeleton would not be able to keep up with the additionnal weight or strength of such apparel. There is such a thing as being too strong for your own good. Then, you'd probably be better off with chopping off your whole body and getting a robot one (or using a surrogate).

But then you'd have visual/cerebral/spine augmentations, which is a lot more subtle and easy to carry around.

Even that would have huge energetic requirements and be pretty dangerous to use. There are reasons why birds — especially the faster, more agile fliers — are rather light.

And yes, it is a specific example; but after all, the dream of true personal flight is among the most common ones.

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Never said it'd consume less energy or be safer, but at least it's not grafted to you, hindering you 24/7.

Though we have freefall and deltaplanes right now, so those are pretty sweet for personnal flight. Oh, and that water jet pack, you should check that out on youtube if you can. Oh, and I forget the name, but the winged suits thingy are insane too, some of the video made from the helmet of those guys are breathtaking.

And I forgot the name, but there's that eagle which can fly at high speed in a forest. Under the treeline.

(Did I mention I think the world is awesome?)

Yeah, I'd love to fly a deltaplane — but I'd hate to become a stain on the floor, which is why I'm never going to do that.

I agree that the world is awesome, of course. But that's not to say that we cannot awesomify it further

edited 15th Mar '13 10:15:48 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

I can't speak for deltaplane, but freefalling is pretty safe right now.

If that's too much for you, you could always search for an indoor turbine. We have a sparkling new one near where I live, and while it's not a scenic flight by any stretch of the definition, it is stupidly safe and fun.

People use those as part of their training to become licensed skydiver.

Apparently the reason Human Enhancement Technology has not become readily available to society is because of the issue of glial tissue buildup.See what happens is when a cybernetic prosthesis would be placed on the human body the immune system would declare the replacement limb a foreign invader and start producing glial tissue to get rid of it.Thats why there aren't any real life cyborgs yet.However the potential benefits of this technology far outweigh the risks.The blind could see again,The crippled could walk again,It could be used to help treat War veterans and Car accident victims among other things.

If you want to make enemies try and change something - Woodrow Wilson

I know that too well, when I had my pins put in, there were complications due to my body rejecting them. The moments when I wasn't on morphine during those days were the most painful ones in my life to this day. The doctors worked some of their magic and I guess got my body to stfu and just go with the flow though, I guess.

The immune response is just too good sometimes.

As one of my professors pointed out when asked why there is cancer, allergies et al: Until the 20th century, most with these conditions died, many problems either arrive too late in life or only hit under certain conditions.

So we carry lots of genetic baggage that we as a species need to get rid of. It would save money in the long run.

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48