Following on from Sapiens, Homo Deus is as illuminating as its predecessor. This volume looks at transhumanism, that is the evolution of homo sapiens (that’s us) into an entirely new species: Homo Deus, the first terrestrial species to emerge to have created itself, though a combination of biological, genetic engineering and technological enhancements, rather than to have evolved “naturally”.
The book poses questions such as the ethics of designer babies and, more importantly, what happens to the homo sapiens who cannot afford to alter themselves and their offspring into the super-men of the future.
The reality is, the science and technology required to create this super-race already exists. We already have bionic limbs that can feel pain. Scientists at WITS university in South Africa are busy at work on brain-computer interfaces and mind-reading with the Braininternet project. And China, which tends to have less scruples than the West is experimenting with CRISPR gene-editing technology to create designer babies.
The barriers to the emergence of Homo Deus are ethical, not technological. We humble homo sapiens now have to decide on the future of our species,
Once again, required reading for anyone interested in where humanity is headed next.
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