Heya Bzrd,

Absolutely. There needs to be legislation to prevent misuse of this technology not only by dictators, but to protect the privacy of our citizens. If you`ve seen Gattaca, you`ll find a futuristic nightmare world where "discrimination has been taken to a science". The valids (genetically enhanced specimens) ruled over the invalids or "God`s children" (those who were born without genetic enhancements). There`s also the possibility that such intervention could create a homogeneous species (artifically remove all kinds of variation), more susceptable to disease and whatnot. So those fears are not unsubstantiated.

However, i see no compelling evidence that we`re de-evolving due to entropy or for any other reason. As i`ve said before, i don`t think the human gene pool is a closed system because it does receive variation through mutation. (2nd law says: the OVERALL entropy in a CLOSED system cannot decrease - we`ve gone over this tons, but this is just for anybody else joining in this thread of thought). That`s the whole premise behind evolution... there`s supposed to be mutation, be it harmful or not. That`s one of the reasons cancer persists and remains so prevalent. Evolution NEEDS mutation as a form of variation.

Although there are harmful mutations, nature selects those traits that are most advantageous to species survival... that`s what makes having harmful mutations worth the trouble; they will never be completely weeded out because they`re necessary. For instance, my prof was telling me how some people in the population have developed a resistance to the AIDS virus that is entirely genetic. The frequency of this gene is slowly increasing via evolution.

Furthermore, we`re living longer and healthier lives than in the past... just a few hundred years ago, life expectancies were around 20 or so. Today, they`re up to 70 (in developed nations anyway). It may be due to medical science, but the fact of the matter is, we`re still getting healthier.

P.S. yes i`ve looked up the idea that "primative" people had better teeth and you`re right. Then again, people 50 years ago had better teeth. It due to the fact that so much more sugar has been added to our diet that wasn`t as readily available in the past, not because entropy is destroying our bodies.