Paper #14: Future direction of medical science
1. Widen the role of medical science:
In my view, the role of medical science should be VERY, VERY significantly widened .. so that it can play THE leading role in maximising the possibility of the survival of our species for as long as is achievable.
In my view, in order to maximise this possibility, it will be necessary for humanity to embrace and implement the below twelve points and for medical science to play the below roles:
(1) We need to shape the current and future evolution of our species, so that we continue to thrive in Earth's current and future environments .. and medical science needs to play THE leading role in relation to this.
(2) We need to shape and protect* Earth's current and future environments, so that they continue to enable our species to thrive .. and medical science needs to play THE leading role in relation to this.
*Note: Including the need to protect against threats that may come from space.
(3) We need to ensure that all current and future inputs to the body of our species are non-toxic and are beneficial to its health .. and medical science needs to play THE leading role in relation to this.
(4) We need to increase the intellectual capability and brain functioning generally (that is, brain power) of our species, so that it increases with each successive generation .. and medical science needs to play THE leading role in relation to this.
(5) We need to increase the healthy longevity of our species, so that it increases with each successive generation .. and medical science needs to play THE leading role in relation this.
(6) We need to limit the numbers comprising our species, so that these numbers do not pose a threat to Earth's current or future environments or the current or future natural resources needed by our species .. and medical science needs to play THE leading role in relation to this.
(7) We need to shape the current and future evolution of all other life-forms and quasi life-forms on which our species depends, so that they continue to thrive in Earth's current and future environments .. and medical science needs to play THE leading role in relation to this.
(8) We need to bring about, and then maintain, peace in the world and all parts of the world .. that is, no more wars, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, assassinations or hostilities of any kind; and no risk of them occurring. This will require, amongst other things:
(a) The establishment of an effective system for the settlement of disputes that pose, or have the potential to pose, a threat to peace in the world or a part of the world, and
(b) For all religions to adopt beliefs and practices that promote peace, harmony and love between all people, regardless of whatever religious beliefs or spiritual beliefs people may hold and regardless of them holding no such beliefs at all, and
(c) The immediate and total elimination by all nations and groups of all weapons of mass destruction (WMD)* and all materials that are specific for the making of WMD, and
(d) The immediate reduction in, followed as soon as possible by the total elimination of, all military spending by all nations and groups ..
and medical science needs to play ONE OF the leading roles in relation to these matters.
*Note: In my view, a nation that possesses WMD is MOST at risk of being destroyed by them. This is because its computer systems can be hacked and programmed to launch its own WMD against itself. A solitary hacker, as well as an enemy nation or a terrorist group, could cause this to happen. Repeating .. in my view, a nation that possesses WMD is MOST at risk of being destroyed by them. This is because its computer systems can be hacked and programmed to launch its own WMD against itself. A solitary hacker, as well as an enemy nation or a terrorist group, could cause this to happen.
(9) We need to establish, and then maintain, a world parliament* to which all nations would transfer those of their sovereign powers that are needed by the world parliament in order to maximise the possibility of the survival of our species for as long as is achievable.. and medical science needs to play ONE OF the leading roles in relation to this.
*Note: The world parliament would need to have its own executive and judicial arms.
(10) We need to do our best to ensure that all members of our species live in societies that provide them with the basic necessities of life: food, clean water, clothing, shelter, sanitation, healthcare, education, basic infrastructure, the ability to limit their numbers by safe and affordable contraception, and personal security .. and medical science needs to play ONE OF the leading roles in relation to this.
(11) We need to increase our knowledge in all fields that are, or may have the potential to be, relevant for maximising the possibility of the survival of our species for as long as is achievable .. and medical science needs to play ONE OF the leading roles in relation to this.
(12) We need to take whatever other actions are necessary to maximise the possibility of the survival of our species for as long as is achievable .. and medical science needs to play ONE OF the leading roles in relation to these actions.
In addition to the above twelve roles, medical science needs to continue to play THE leading role in relation to the health (both physical and mental) of our species.
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The above very, very significant widening of the role of medical science will require, amongst other things, a very, very significant additional investment of financial and other resources by the governments of all nations and by many corporations involved in the relevant fields.
If humanity embraces and implements the above twelve points and if medical science plays the above roles, I see a long-lasting and bright future for our species.
Without these changes, I see the opposite .. the premature end of our species.
All of this may seem impossible. But, as history shows us and as each of us knows from our own life, once it becomes ESSENTIAL to take certain actions, the taking of them no longer remains impossible.
In my view, the developments in our destructive technologies have reached the point, and the changes in our environment (both natural changes and changes caused by us) have reached the point, that it has now become ESSENTIAL for us to take the actions listed in points (1) to (12) above.
I am therefore confident they can be achieved.
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2. Changes in our environment:
If a species is unable to adapt to changes in its environment, it becomes extinct.
It is estimated that, because of this inability to adapt to changes in the environment, more than 99.99% of all animal species which have ever lived on Earth are now extinct.
Earth's environment has been changing since the formation of the planet. And this process is continuing today .. that is, Earth's current environment is continuing to change as a result of natural forces.
In addition, over approximately the last 300 years, the increasing numbers comprising our species, and the effects of our industrial, technological, digital and bio revolutions, have brought about significant human-made changes to Earth's environment.
Both factors .. that is, changes to Earth's environment caused by natural forces and changes to Earth's environment caused by us .. need to be very carefully monitored.
And, if these environmental changes pose a risk to our species (which they currently do), or pose a risk to any other life-forms or quasi life-forms on which our species depends (which they currently do), they need to be reversed.
Note added on 14 February 2017: I have written a draft paper explaining what I regard as being the MOST important environmental change that poses a risk to our species and, indeed, to all life on Earth. This is not the change in global temperatures .. that is, it is not global warming, which is increasing, and increasing at an increasing rate .. which definitely poses a risk. It is another change .. a natural one .. which has not been caused by us and which, in my view, poses a MUCH greater risk than the risk posed by global warming. I am aiming to finish the paper and publish it online in 2018.
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That concludes Paper #14.
Next is Paper #15, in which I deal with the "love one another" instruction given FIVE times (!) by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper immediately after he had washed the feet of his Disciples in a basin.
Please go to Paper #15 ...
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Love one another and care for our planet,
Gee
Gee Ryan (Gerald)
16 November 2014
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Love One Another Basin (bottom of basin, in yellows), Gee Ryan (Gerald), 2016. H 36 inches x W 48 inches (91.44cm x 121.92cm). Mixed media on canvas. Art email address is gee@geeryan.com and art website is geeryan.com
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