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A group that advocates using genetic and other technologies to transform human beings into “posthumans” with new and expanded abilities held a conference May 26-28 titled “Human Enhancement Technologies and Human Rights.” The event was organized by the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies at Stanford Law School.

bullet Read a Crossroads exclusive on the transhumanist conference by CGS' Osagie Obasogie: "Slanting the Playing Field," below.

bullet Read Will Saletan’s Slate article on this conference: "Cut-off Genes: Our gentle descent toward eugenics."

Slanting the Playing Field
By CGS Project Director Osagie Obasogie

Berkeley sociologist Loïc Wacquant has said that if you want to predict the next big social issue, look at the sports pages. The scandal surrounding Barry Bonds’ alleged use of steroids has turned baseball fans across the country into a focus group of sorts on the question of whether people should be able to change their bodies with technologies in order to achieve superhuman feats. As Bonds passed Ruth on the all-time home run list, the public passed its judgment: Mounting evidence of his...