Blaze a new trail of discovery in biochemistry.
Nearly a half a century after the introduction of the idea that humanity lives in a universe at the
just-right location, the just-right time, and with the just-right physical constants, the anthropic
principle continues to gain acceptance among astronomers and astrophysicists. Few scientists
question the fine-tuning of the numerical quantities that define the universe.
But what about the unexplored areas of chemistry and biochemistry? Do we witness an equal
amount of evidence for fine-tuning?
In Fit for a Purpose, biochemist Fazale Rana, fearlessly pushes the boundaries of the anthropic
principle beyond cosmology. In the process, Rana invites the reader to discover the world of
chemical and biochemical fine-tuning, as well as to contemplate this question:
If the universe is fit for life, and biochemical systems are fit for their role in life,
is it possible that everything is "fit for a purpose"?
Will technology usher in a new future or have we gone too far?
Unprecedented developments in bioengineering, biotechnology, and biomedicine breakthroughs that could improve the lives of people with debilitating diseases and injuries can also serve as stepping-stones to technologies that can enhance human beings and alter human nature, raising fears about how biotechnologies could be misused.
Should we discourage advances in biotechnology and bioengineering that can be used for human enhancement? Or should we take control of our own "evolution" and usher in a posthuman age? Is there another option?
In Humans 2.0, authors Fazale "Fuz" Rana and Kenneth Richard Samples open a window to the new world of human enhancement technologies and transhumanism their promises, potential, and pitfalls.
