Gregory E. Pence, professor of philosophy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and an expert in medical ethics, is the author or editor of numerous books on bioethics, including Medical Ethics, Elements of Bioethics, Who’s Afraid of Human Cloning?, and Cloning After Dolly.

Human enhancement is an important topic. However, too many authors dwell on improbable scenarios, such as genetic engineering of super-babies. By contrast, this book tackles the real ethical dilemmas that our society faces today. Is it wrong for healthy college students to boost academic performance with Ritalin and similar drugs? Is increased longevity a bane or a boon? How can simple interventions like good nutrition and vaccinations produce children who are not only healthier but smarter? Professor Gregory Pence uses science, logic, and ethics to analyze these and many other topics. Along the way, he explains why we need not fear designer babies and other Brave New World scenarios. Legislators and other policymakers should read this timely and fascinating book so that they will know what to regulate—and what to leave alone.

• PrefacePart I—Competent AdultsChapter 1: What if Your Virtual Life Surpasses Your Real Life?Chapter 2: Lessons from Bioethics’ HistoryChapter 3: Expanding the Mind with DrugsChapter 4: Building Better Female BodiesChapter 5: Building Better Male BodiesChapter 6: Is it Moral to Feel Better than Well?Chapter 7: Practical Ways to Build a Longer LifeChapter 8: Is It Wrong to Live to a Hundred?Chapter 9: Personalized Genomics: Caveat Emptor!Part II—Choosing Better, Future ChildrenChapter 10: Choosing a Better EmbryoChapter 11: Eugenic Abortions?Chapter 12: Building Better Fetuses in UteroChapter 13: Building Better Kids at Birth: VaccinationsChapter 14: Building Better Minds of Children: Ritalin and AdderalPart III—Changing Human Nature?Chapter 15: How Not to think about Genetic EnhancementChapter 16: Human Enhancement; Six Psychosocial ObjectionsChapter 17: Overview: Cloning, Primordial Cells & EnhancementChapter 18: Conclusions and Six Practical ProposalsAcknowledgments

Gregory E. Pence, professor of philosophy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and an expert in medical ethics, is the author or editor of numerous books on bioethics, including Medical Ethics, Elements of Bioethics, Who’s Afraid of Human Cloning?, and Cloning After Dolly.

Human enhancement is an important topic. However, too many authors dwell on improbable scenarios, such as genetic engineering of super-babies. By contrast, this book tackles the real ethical dilemmas that our society faces today. Is it wrong for healthy college students to boost academic performance with Ritalin and similar drugs? Is increased longevity a bane or a boon? How can simple interventions like good nutrition and vaccinations produce children who are not only healthier but smarter? Professor Gregory Pence uses science, logic, and ethics to analyze these and many other topics. Along the way, he explains why we need not fear designer babies and other Brave New World scenarios. Legislators and other policymakers should read this timely and fascinating book so that they will know what to regulate—and what to leave alone.

• PrefacePart I—Competent AdultsChapter 1: What if Your Virtual Life Surpasses Your Real Life?Chapter 2: Lessons from Bioethics’ HistoryChapter 3: Expanding the Mind with DrugsChapter 4: Building Better Female BodiesChapter 5: Building Better Male BodiesChapter 6: Is it Moral to Feel Better than Well?Chapter 7: Practical Ways to Build a Longer LifeChapter 8: Is It Wrong to Live to a Hundred?Chapter 9: Personalized Genomics: Caveat Emptor!Part II—Choosing Better, Future ChildrenChapter 10: Choosing a Better EmbryoChapter 11: Eugenic Abortions?Chapter 12: Building Better Fetuses in UteroChapter 13: Building Better Kids at Birth: VaccinationsChapter 14: Building Better Minds of Children: Ritalin and AdderalPart III—Changing Human Nature?Chapter 15: How Not to think about Genetic EnhancementChapter 16: Human Enhancement; Six Psychosocial ObjectionsChapter 17: Overview: Cloning, Primordial Cells & EnhancementChapter 18: Conclusions and Six Practical ProposalsAcknowledgments

Gregory E. Pence, professor of philosophy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and an expert in medical ethics, is the author or editor of numerous books on bioethics, including Medical Ethics, Elements of Bioethics, Who’s Afraid of Human Cloning?, and Cloning After Dolly.

Human enhancement is an important topic. However, too many authors dwell on improbable scenarios, such as genetic engineering of super-babies. By contrast, this book tackles the real ethical dilemmas that our society faces today. Is it wrong for healthy college students to boost academic performance with Ritalin and similar drugs? Is increased longevity a bane or a boon? How can simple interventions like good nutrition and vaccinations produce children who are not only healthier but smarter? Professor Gregory Pence uses science, logic, and ethics to analyze these and many other topics. Along the way, he explains why we need not fear designer babies and other Brave New World scenarios. Legislators and other policymakers should read this timely and fascinating book so that they will know what to regulate—and what to leave alone.

• PrefacePart I—Competent AdultsChapter 1: What if Your Virtual Life Surpasses Your Real Life?Chapter 2: Lessons from Bioethics’ HistoryChapter 3: Expanding the Mind with DrugsChapter 4: Building Better Female BodiesChapter 5: Building Better Male BodiesChapter 6: Is it Moral to Feel Better than Well?Chapter 7: Practical Ways to Build a Longer LifeChapter 8: Is It Wrong to Live to a Hundred?Chapter 9: Personalized Genomics: Caveat Emptor!Part II—Choosing Better, Future ChildrenChapter 10: Choosing a Better EmbryoChapter 11: Eugenic Abortions?Chapter 12: Building Better Fetuses in UteroChapter 13: Building Better Kids at Birth: VaccinationsChapter 14: Building Better Minds of Children: Ritalin and AdderalPart III—Changing Human Nature?Chapter 15: How Not to think about Genetic EnhancementChapter 16: Human Enhancement; Six Psychosocial ObjectionsChapter 17: Overview: Cloning, Primordial Cells & EnhancementChapter 18: Conclusions and Six Practical ProposalsAcknowledgments