評論
打印
Now, when we think about changing human nature,
那么，當我們考慮改變人類本質時，
the first thing that comes to mind are these human modification technologies
首先想到的便是那些人類改造技術
growth hormone therapy, cosmetic surgery,
荷爾蒙生長療法，整容手術，
stimulants like Ritalin, Adderall, anti-depressants, anabolic steroids, artificial hearts.
如利他林，安非他命緩釋劑之類的興奮劑，抗抑郁劑，合成代謝類固醇，人造心臟。
It's a pretty pathetic list.
這是一張可悲的清單。
They do great things for a few people who suffer from some specific condition,
這些技術極大地幫助了一部分人，這些人患有某些特定的病癥。
but for most people, they don't really transform what it is to be human.
但對與大多數人來說，它們并不能真正改變人的本質。
And they also all seem a little bit
并且，它們看起來也有點
most people have this instinct that, well, sure,
大多數人都會本能地認為，
there needs to be anti-depressants for the really depressed people.
雖然抗抑郁劑對嚴重抑郁的人來說確實是必須的
But there's a kind of queasiness that these are unnatural in some way.
但這里面總有一點讓人不舒服的成分，因為在某種程度上說，這畢竟是很不自然的。
It's worth recalling that there are a lot of other modification technologies
值得一提的是，有許多其他的改造技術
and enhancement technologies that we use.
和改善技術供我們使用。
We have skin enhancements, clothing.
我們有改善皮膚的產品，服裝。
As far as I can see, all of you are users of this enhancement technology in this room, so that's a great thing.
據我的觀察，你們所有人都是這改善技術的使用者，所以這是個好東西。
Mood modifiers have been used from time immemorial --
自古以來，情緒改善劑就一直為人們所使用——
caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, immune system enhancement, vision enhancement, anesthetics
咖啡因、酒精、尼古丁、免疫系統增強劑、視力增強品、麻醉劑。
we take that very much for granted,
我們通常認為這些是理所當然的，沒什么稀奇，
but just think about how great progress that is --
但想想看這是多么偉大的進步--
like, having an operation before anesthetics was not fun.
比如，不實施麻醉而進行手術可不是好玩的。
Contraceptives, cosmetics and brain reprogramming techniques -- that sounds ominous,
避孕藥、美容用品和大腦重新編程技術--聽起來并不像什么好事。
but the distinction between what is a technology -- a gadget would be the archetype --
但技術--典型的例子就是小裝置，
and other ways of changing and rewriting human nature is quite subtle.
以及其他改變和重塑人類本質的方法，這兩者的差別很微妙。
