What's Wrong With Enhancement Analysis

The topic of human enhancement has been an uncomfortable and controversial issue for many people in today’s society. In his article “What’s wrong with enhancement?”, Michael Sandel discusses the ethics of enhancement and why individuals struggle with the topic and implications of human enhancement. Some of the topics discussed are the objection of fairness and how that characterizes enhancement as a threat to human agency, the term “hubris” and its relevance to the topic, and whether or not human enhancement removes our enchantment with nature. Human enhancement is a threat to human agency because it allows humans to achieve their goal without putting forth the necessary effort. This is a problem because enhanced humans don’t exert any effort

Sandel says the word “hubris” when comparing how humans hesitate to genetically alter animals. He is using this word in context to describe how humans feel entitled to other living beings. “… the reason must draw on the idea that life (even animal life) is a gift not subject without limit to our mastery or dominion”1. By using the word “hubris” Sandel has shown us the most important objection to enhancement. He has shown us that we are overly entitled and we do not have a right to everything around us just because it is less intelligent and profitable. As humans, it is not our right to genetically influence an animal from natural form. Natural form is determined by observing an animal without the help of a human. Humans can choose to change the evolution of an animal by, for example, breeding purebred dogs with other purebred dogs for a higher retail price or better show quality. In this way, humans are controlling their evolution. We have grown into a race that takes what we are not given. This argument of humans feeling the need to control everything they do not have a right to provides excellent reasoning as to why enhancement is nature’s right and a human’s privilege. Humans do not have a right to control everything they can get their hands on. Sandel’s argument of hubris is vital in understanding human intuition to extreme forms of human enhancement. Sandel’s argument basically states that the problem with human enhancement isn’t to attempt perfecting oneself or others. The problem with human enhancement is that humans desire to control all factors of themselves and their surroundings. I believe that human enhancement removes our “enchantment with nature” to an extent. I believe it is ok to wear clothes, live in a house, and advance as a race. However, I do not believe that humans have a right to take anything they want. If we are genetically modifying children, cheating to get