Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Pandgt;Throughout history, we have selected and manipulated the genomes of plants, animals, and even ourselves. Until now, however, such control could be exerted only at the level of the entire organism. Scientific and technological advances now allow us to manipulate genomes directly at the level of single genes and their constituents, with a speed and precision that far exceed what natural evolution has been able to achieve over the past 3.5 billion years. These advances open new possibilities for medicine, biotechnology, and society as a whole. We already have in vitro fertilization and animal cloning; in the future human cloning and the exploitation of embryonic stem cells, among other capabilities, may be routine. At the same time, we are developing machines that will surpass the human brain in raw computing power and building an interconnected world of information-processing devices that makes science fiction pale in comparison. In this book Baldi explores what it is about these phenomena that makes us so uneasy--the shattering of the human self as we know it.Through evolution our brains have been wired to provide us with an inner sense of self, a feeling that each of us is a unique individual delimited by precise boundaries. We have also been wired to reproduce ourselves in a certain way. Baldi argues that this self-centered view of the world is scientifically wrong. Its past success lies in its being an adequate model during our evolutionary bootstrapping: a world without molecular biotechnology, human cloning, and the Internet. Eventually we must come to terms with the fact that genomes, computations, and mind are fluid, continuous entities, in both space and time. The boundary between the self and the world has begun to blur and ultimately may evaporate entirely. Baldi offers not predictions but an open-eyed exploration of our current state of knowledge and the possibilities that lie ahead.andlt;/Pandgt;
Review
"What we will become remains intriguing and ominous, making this probing book a valuable contribution to thinking about our future." Steven R. Quartz American Scientist The MIT Press
Review
"This book is a provocative stimulating read." Science Books & Films The MIT Press
Review
This book is a provocative stimulating read. < b=""> Mark Borodovsky <> , Professor, Schools of Biology and Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology
Review
Pierre Baldi has confronted head-on some of the most startling and provocative possibilities that science and our insatiable quest for knowledge may unleash. Here is a concerned scientist who realizes that the explosion of information that science has inititated is transforming our view of our very selves and who we think we are. The MIT Press
Review
Post-genomic biology is just starting to transform the world, but the changes will come faster and affect humanity more profoundly than any previous technology. The Shattered Self provides an illuminating look at many of the issues we will have to confront soon, whether we are ready or not. < b=""> James M. Sikela <> , Department of Pharmacology and Human Medical Genetics Program, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Review
Provocative and at times rebellious, Pierre Baldi's book touches on controversial and painfully intriguing questions that face us people of the third millennium, who are capable of creating electronic brain superpower as well as programming the genetic development of a human being. < b=""> Larry Hunter <> , Director, Center for Computational Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Pierre Baldi has confronted head-on some of the most startling and provocative possibilities that science and our insatiable quest for knowledge may unleash. Here is a concerned scientist who realizes that the explosion of information that science has inititated is transforming our view of our very selves and who we think we are."--James M. Sikela, Department of Pharmacology and Human Medical Genetics Program, University of Colorado Health Sciences Centerandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press The MIT Press The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Post-genomic biology is just starting to transform the world, but the changes will come faster and affect humanity more profoundly than any previous technology. The Shattered Self provides an illuminating look at many of the issues we will have to confront soon, whether we are ready or not."--Larry Hunter, Director, Center for Computational Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicineandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Provocative and at times rebellious, Pierre Baldi's book touches on controversial and painfully intriguing questions that face us people of the third millennium, who are capable of creating electronic brain superpower as well as programming the genetic development of a human being."--Mark Borodovsky, Professor, Schools of Biology and Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technologyandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"This book is a provocative stimulating read." Science Books and#38; Filmsandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"What we will become remains intriguing and ominous, making this probing book a valuable contribution to thinking about our future." Steven R. Quartz American Scientistandlt;/Pandgt;
Review
What we will become remains intriguing and ominous, making this probing book a valuable contribution to thinking about our future. Science Books - & - Films
Synopsis
Throughout history, we have selected and manipulated the genomes of plants, animals, and even ourselves. Until now, however, such control could be exerted only at the level of the entire organism. Scientific and technological advances now allow us to manipulate genomes directly at the level of single genes and their constituents, with a speed and precision that far exceed what natural evolution has been able to achieve over the past 3.5 billion years. These advances open new possibilities for medicine, biotechnology, and society as a whole. We already have in vitro fertilization and animal cloning; in the future human cloning and the exploitation of embryonic stem cells, among other capabilities, may be routine. At the same time, we are developing machines that will surpass the human brain in raw computing power and building an interconnected world of information-processing devices that makes science fiction pale in comparison. In this book Baldi explores what it is about these phenomena that makes us so uneasy -- the shattering of the human self as we know it.
Through evolution our brains have been wired to provide us with an inner sense of self, a feeling that each of us is a unique individual delimited by precise boundaries. We have also been wired to reproduce ourselves in a certain way. Baldi argues that this self-centered view of the world is scientifically wrong. Its past success lies in its being an adequate model during our evolutionary bootstrapping: a world without molecular biotechnology, human cloning, and the Internet. Eventually we must come to terms with the fact that genomes, computations, and mind are fluid, continuous entities, in both space and time. The boundary between the self and the world has begun to blur and ultimately may evaporate entirely. Baldi offers not predictions but an open-eyed exploration of our current state of knowledge and the possibilities that lie ahead.
Synopsis
An exploration of the far-reaching scientific and social changes made possible by advances in molecular biotechnology.
Throughout history, we have selected and manipulated the genomes of plants, animals, and even ourselves. Until now, however, such control could be exerted only at the level of the entire organism. Scientific and technological advances now allow us to manipulate genomes directly at the level of single genes and their constituents, with a speed and precision that far exceed what natural evolution has been able to achieve over the past 3.5 billion years. These advances open new possibilities for medicine, biotechnology, and society as a whole. We already have in vitro fertilization and animal cloning; in the future human cloning and the exploitation of embryonic stem cells, among other capabilities, may be routine. At the same time, we are developing machines that will surpass the human brain in raw computing power and building an interconnected world of information-processing devices that makes science fiction pale in comparison. In this book Baldi explores what it is about these phenomena that makes us so uneasy -- the shattering of the human self as we know it.
Through evolution our brains have been wired to provide us with an inner sense of self, a feeling that each of us is a unique individual delimited by precise boundaries. We have also been wired to reproduce ourselves in a certain way. Baldi argues that this self-centered view of the world is scientifically wrong. Its past success lies in its being an adequate model during our evolutionary bootstrapping: a world without molecular biotechnology, human cloning, and the Internet. Eventually we must come to terms with the fact that genomes, computations, and mind are fluid, continuous entities, in both space and time. The boundary between the self and the world has begun to blur and ultimately may evaporate entirely. Baldi offers not predictions but an open-eyed exploration of our current state of knowledge and the possibilities that lie ahead.
Synopsis
An exploration of the far-reaching scientific and social changes made possible by advances in molecular biotechnology.
Synopsis
Throughout history, we have selected and manipulated the genomes ofplants, animals, and even ourselves. Until now, however, such control could beexerted only at the level of the entire organism. Scientific and technologicaladvances now allow us to manipulate genomes directly at the level of single genesand their constituents, with a speed and precision that far exceed what naturalevolution has been able to achieve over the past 3.5 billion years. These advancesopen new possibilities for medicine, biotechnology, and society as a whole. Wealready have in vitro fertilization and animal cloning; in the future human cloningand the exploitation of embryonic stem cells, among other capabilities, may beroutine. At the same time, we are developing machines that will surpass the humanbrain in raw computing power and building an interconnected world ofinformation-processing devices that makes science fiction pale in comparison. Inthis book Baldi explores what it is about these phenomena that makes us souneasy--the shattering of the human self as we know it.Through evolution our brainshave been wired to provide us with an inner sense of self, a feeling that each of usis a unique individual delimited by precise boundaries. We have also been wired toreproduce ourselves in a certain way. Baldi argues that this self-centered view ofthe world is scientifically wrong. Its past success lies in its being an adequatemodel during our evolutionary bootstrapping: a world without molecularbiotechnology, human cloning, and the Internet. Eventually we must come to termswith the fact that genomes, computations, and mind are fluid, continuous entities, in both space and time. The boundary between the self and the world has begun toblur and ultimately may evaporate entirely. Baldi offers not predictions but anopen-eyed exploration of our current state of knowledge and the possibilities thatlie ahead.
Synopsis
andlt;Pandgt;Scientific and technological advances now allow us to manipulate genomes directly at the level of single genes and their constituents, with a speed and precision that far exceed what natural evolution has been able to achieve over the past 3.5 billion years. We already have in vitro fertilization and animal cloning; in the future human cloning and the exploitation of embryonic stem cells, among other capabilities, may be routine. At the same time, we are developing machines that will surpass the human brain in raw computing power and building an interconnected world of information-processing devices.In this book Pierre Baldi explores what it is about these phenomena that makes us so uneasy--the shattering of the human self as we know it. Eventually we must come to terms with the fact that genomes, computations, and mind are fluid, continuous entities, in both space and time. The boundary between the self and the world has begun to dissolve and ultimately may evaporate entirely. Baldi offers not predictions but an informed exploration of our current state of knowledge and the possibilities that lie ahead.andlt;/Pandgt;
About the Author
Pierre Baldi is Professor of Information and Computer Science and of Biological Chemistry (College of Medicine) and Director of the Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics at the University of California, Irvine.
Table of Contents
Introduction -- Science today -- Molecular biology -- In vitro babies -- Human cloning -- Siamese twins -- Manipulating DNA -- Computers -- The last frontier: the brain -- Ethics and what can go wrong -- The information space.