One arguably plausible change, that is arguably an improvement (of sorts), and yet would be a shock
could be if techniques for assessing individuals’ abilities became much more accurate. We could wind
up with a world with elments of GATTACA or Brave New World (albeit this alone wouldn’t do the equivalent
of bottle-farming deltas...). To an extent things like IQ already do this, but more precise, specific
assessments (if human abilities are actually stable enough over time for this to be possible) would be
a large blow to both traditional views of human equality and to individuals’ dreams of the range of
their possible futures. It would also be very politically incorrect, at least in some circles.
One arguably plausible change, that is arguably an improvement (of sorts), and yet would be a shock could be if techniques for assessing individuals’ abilities became much more accurate. We could wind up with a world with elments of GATTACA or Brave New World (albeit this alone wouldn’t do the equivalent of bottle-farming deltas...). To an extent things like IQ already do this, but more precise, specific assessments (if human abilities are actually stable enough over time for this to be possible) would be a large blow to both traditional views of human equality and to individuals’ dreams of the range of their possible futures. It would also be very politically incorrect, at least in some circles.