Biological Anthropology and Comparative Anatomy Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
Med Hypotheses. 2011 Oct;77(4):560-4. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.06.031. Epub 2011 Jul 23.
In the 21st century human life has been profoundly changed by developments in sanitation, medical interventions and public health measures. Practically every person born into a developed nation population has a chance to survive throughout entire reproductive life and well beyond. Human body has evolved in the past adaptations to hunting-gathering, and later, agricultural ways of life. In the new situation of practically non-existent premature mortality and technologically developed complex societies medical practice will devote less attention to "saving lives"--preventing premature deaths--and more to enhancing capacities of our biological organisms and providing for maintenance of the bodies beyond their biological limits established by evolution. The role of advances in nanotechnology, information technology, neuroscience and biotechnology is discussed in the context of mind and body enhancements.
在 21 世纪,卫生、医疗干预和公共卫生措施的发展深刻地改变了人类的生活。几乎每个出生在发达国家的人都有机会在整个生殖期甚至更长时间内生存下来。人类的身体在过去已经适应了狩猎采集和后来的农业生活方式。在几乎不存在过早死亡和技术发达的复杂社会的新情况下,医疗实践将减少对“拯救生命”——预防过早死亡——的关注,更多地关注增强我们生物机体的能力,并为超越进化所确定的生物极限提供身体的维持。本文在身心增强的背景下讨论了纳米技术、信息技术、神经科学和生物技术的进步。