Immortality for Humanity, Darwin for Everybody Else?

Abstract

In the future the distinction between human and animal might become less clear than now. If we inject further human DNA into a chimpanzee, which already shares 99.9 % of our genes, do we create a chimera which is in reality human? Or if we inject more animal DNA into humans at which point do they lose humanness? This is a general ethical issue but raises also the issue of upon whom we bestow immortality. Only upon humans, and what is a human then? On animals, in order to also save animals from the unpleasantness of the death experience? On animals, in order not to take the expense of raising ever new dairy cows, horses etc.? Some may argue that by providing immortality to animals humans would interfere too radically in nature’s design. But nothing can be more radical than seizing immortality for humankind. So, if we reject immortality for animals, perhaps we should reject it for ourselves, as well?