The Supposed Sin, Part Two
The second part of Russell Blackford's examination of arguments "against nature" is up at Betterhumans. Those of us with an interest in living much longer, healthier lives often hear that our goal is "unnatural" and therefore somehow bad - how does this specious argument survive for in a world largely "unnatural" by the same criteria? Clearly deeper motivations are at work: "If technology is used to alter facts relating to these, such as by allowing for conception and birth without sex, or by promising us biological immortality, many people will feel that their sense of leading meaningful lives is threatened ... They are likely to express this sense by claiming that 'nature' is being interfered with - here, 'nature' is equated with whatever is seen in their particular culture as basic background conditions to human life."
Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/Features/Columns/Eye_of_the_Storm/column.aspx?articleID=2005-01-26-1