JRE 1294 · May 10, 2019

Jamie Metzl

sciencetechnologypoliticsphilosophy

Who is Jamie Metzl?

Jamie Metzl is a technology futurist and geopolitical expert, novelist, entrepreneur, media commentator, and Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council. His new book "Hacking Darwin" is available now at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. https://hackingdarwin.com/

Topics and Timestamps

01Jamie Metzl discusses his book Hacking Darwin and the future of genetic engineering and human enhancement
02The conversation covers CRISPR technology and how it's being used to edit genes in ways that could fundamentally alter humanity
03Metzl explains the geopolitical implications of genetic engineering and why different countries are approaching it differently
04They discuss the ethics of designer babies and where the line should be drawn between treating disease and enhancement
05The episode explores how AI and biotechnology are converging to create unprecedented capabilities for human modification
06Metzl warns about the risks of a genetic arms race between nations if regulation isn't established globally
▶Jamie introduces Hacking Darwin and the premise of genetic engineering revolution0:00:00
▶Discussion of CRISPR technology and how it actually works to edit genes0:15:30
▶Metzl explains the geopolitical arms race in genetic engineering between countries0:35:45
▶The ethics debate between treating disease versus genetic enhancement0:52:20
▶Metzl warns about the necessity for global regulation before genetic engineering becomes widespread1:15:00

The Show

Jamie Metzl brings his expertise on technology and geopolitics to JRE 1294 to talk about one of the most consequential topics facing humanity: genetic engineering and human enhancement. His book Hacking Darwin digs into how CRISPR and other genetic technologies are advancing at breakneck speed, and more importantly, what happens when we start using these tools to redesign ourselves.

The core of the conversation centers on the practical reality that gene editing is no longer theoretical. It's happening now, and different countries are approaching it with wildly different levels of caution. Metzl breaks down how China is aggressively pursuing genetic enhancement while the West remains more cautious, creating what could become a technological and biological arms race.

Joe and Jamie dig into the ethical minefield of where we draw the line between using genetic engineering to cure diseases like cystic fibrosis and using it to create enhanced humans. The conversation acknowledges that this line is blurrier than most people think, and once you start editing genes for disease prevention, you're already on the slope toward enhancement.

Metzl emphasizes that this isn't some distant sci-fi scenario. Parents are already making choices about their kids' genetics through IVF and genetic screening. The question isn't whether we'll have genetic engineering, it's how we'll govern it and what safeguards we'll put in place. Without global coordination and regulation, Metzl warns we could end up with a fractured world where some populations have access to genetic enhancements and others don't.

The episode also touches on how AI and biotech are merging, creating tools that could identify genetic markers for everything from intelligence to disease resistance. The implications are staggering, and Metzl makes a compelling case that this conversation needs to happen in the public sphere, not just in labs and corporate boardrooms.

Best Quotes

“We're at an inflection point where the technology is advancing so rapidly that we need to have this conversation now, not after the damage is done”

— Jamie Metzl