Keswick: Dreaming of a better humanity
Super-human intelligence. Stronger, fitter bodies. Greater emotional and moral well-being. Brains merging with computers. The end of ageing. Life expectancy extending beyond 200 years. This is what some human beings will look like at the end of the 21st century.
It’s not just a science fiction dream (or nightmare). A galaxy of leading scientists and engineers, backed by billions of dollars of investment capital, are dedicated to making this vision come true. The Tesla and Space X boss Elon Musk, Geoff Bezos founder of Amazon, and Google founder Larry Page are just three of those who are investing heavily in the human enhancement field. Given their track record so far in making unlikely things come true, it would be a mistake to dismiss their efforts out of hand.
Matters of Life and Death
It is a commonplace observation that the real costs of healthcare are rising inexorably, year on year, in every developed nation worldwide. It is absolutely clear that no nation can afford all the possible treatments which might be provided for its citizens.
At the same time, the shameful gulf in resources between the developed and less-developed worlds increases. Rationing of scarce health resources is inevitable in every society in the world. But how should resources be allocated in a way which fits with Christian convictions?
Matters of Life and Death
John Wyatt has been arguing that even non-Christian doctors have been guided by a Hippocratic-Christian consensus. This extract from his new book, published by IVP, shows how this has been eroded.
It was not until around 1850 that the idea of Christian health professionals going from the West to care for the sick and dying in developing countries came to fruition.