andrewducker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
andrewducker) wrote2003-02-13 01:26 pm
andrewducker) wrote2003-02-13 01:26 pm
All men are created equal
As some of you know, Erin has PCOS. The solution to this is to basically give her drugs that return her body to normal levels of insulin/glucose so that her testosterone levels drop and she's normal again.
Now, I have insulin problems too. And according to recent statistics a large proportion is ending up with type 2 diabetes because of dietary problems. So it'd be great if we could brute-force a solution to this.
In some ways.
How far from the norm do people have to be before they are considered eligible? Do you allow people to self-medicate away their problems? Do we allow people to use this tech to make themselves thinner (or fatter) than normal by medicating? Is it reasonable to allow people to basically make themselves dependent on this technology so that their hormone levels are constantly monitored and adjusted and tuned to keep them at optimum levels.
More to the point, lets extend that to a general level. We're gaining more and more control over our bodies and brains. Are we going to take control of our bodies on a deep invasive level (eventually redefining what it means to be human) or are we going to decide that only certain changes are to be allowed? This underlies many issues facing modern politics, from cloning to genetic manipulation to human/machine interfaces. At some point this basic issue is going to have to be faced, or the decisions will be taken piece by piece and not in the directions we necessarily want them to.
Now, I have insulin problems too. And according to recent statistics a large proportion is ending up with type 2 diabetes because of dietary problems. So it'd be great if we could brute-force a solution to this.
In some ways.
How far from the norm do people have to be before they are considered eligible? Do you allow people to self-medicate away their problems? Do we allow people to use this tech to make themselves thinner (or fatter) than normal by medicating? Is it reasonable to allow people to basically make themselves dependent on this technology so that their hormone levels are constantly monitored and adjusted and tuned to keep them at optimum levels.
More to the point, lets extend that to a general level. We're gaining more and more control over our bodies and brains. Are we going to take control of our bodies on a deep invasive level (eventually redefining what it means to be human) or are we going to decide that only certain changes are to be allowed? This underlies many issues facing modern politics, from cloning to genetic manipulation to human/machine interfaces. At some point this basic issue is going to have to be faced, or the decisions will be taken piece by piece and not in the directions we necessarily want them to.
Re: Interesting, but... (cont.)
You are talking about changing your hair, your clothes, and your diet. I've already said 'plumage' changes (I can't think of a better expression) are understandable. A part of who we are. We want to appeal to others. It's extreme changes, changes which can damage our health, or the removal of limbs etc, that I think are not boundary pushing, but something more sinister.
Regarding your 'Orwellian' point. Simply put - show me ONE, just ONE, person who has recovered from Anorexia and isn't happy about it, and I'll consider your argument. To complete deny the possibility of mental illness, and categorise everything as free-will, IMHO is absurd. Taking that to extremes, I guess things like rape, torture and murder are all completely understandable, and only unnacceptable because they impact on someone else?
I know, if I ever wanted to drastically change myself, by chopping limbs of or starving myself to death, I'd hope someone would help me. To counter that point though, I'd hope if I was dying of some horrible illness, and was in great amounts of pain, someone would allow me or help me to take my own life. None of this is black and white. I just don't think it's responsible t
Re: Interesting, but... (cont.)
Show me one person who has recovered from being a tory and isn't happy about it and I'll consider yours. When people change from one way of thinking to another, they always reject their old thinking and embrace the new.
To complete deny the possibility of mental illness, and categorise everything as free-will, IMHO is absurd.
Actually, I agree. It's a question of drawing lines, who gets to draw them and the method used. I don't trust other people to draw my lines, generally speaking.
I guess things like rape, torture and murder are all completely understandable, and only unnacceptable because they impact on someone else?
Of course! These things are completely commonplace throughout human history and can't be defined as mental abberations. Ordinary common people have got caught up in all of them on a fairly constant basis.