although it's a step forward, it's not something new. Anyone using technology, be it driving a car or using a computer can simply accomplish more than another can do without the technology.
julianmorrison1 votesTuesday, January 15, 2008 at 5:11 PM
I was thinking broader rules, to allow *any* openly declared enhancement. Drugs, doping, altered genes, nanotech, replacement parts, added parts, and so on.
I'm not sure that would be such a great idea. Athletes are already pushing the limits with today's drugs at the expense of their own health, and this would only make it worse.
julianmorrison1 votesTuesday, January 15, 2008 at 6:14 PM
A fair amount of that danger has to come from trying to hide from drug tests (meaning you pass over something that's safe and detectable for something that's exotic and may be hard to detect), self-prescribing without a doctor's supervision, using substances that haven't been through medical trials. Openness would make those problems go away.
Okay, so let's assume for a second that we can somehow make sure that people accurately declare what drugs or enhancements they have. Do you envision competitions such as a mega marathon for genetically enhanced endurance runners, or table tennis matches for people with computer aided tracking and coordination skills? Honestly, it does sound amusing, but it feels more like a competition between the manufacturers of the technologies; and the people are only the test subjects.
wildcat1 votesWednesday, January 16, 2008 at 9:09 AM
allow me to barge in, actually it may very well be that we shall see integration arriving at our doorstep much faster than it appears at present in the form of a parallel Olympics, for the technologically upabled (just coined), augmented and chemically enhanced, or neurologically upgraded humans. in due course it is my firm belief that the 'regular/normal' Olympics will be relegated to the dustbin of history as a relic that had its glory but is no more relevant as the showoff of the best humanity has to offer , be it in sports or any other field in which humans compete to excel. moreover, though it may well be the case that manufacturers will desire to show their technologies using human subjects, (isnt that the case at present when Ferrari shows its latest racing car and Shumacher does the driving?) I maintain that the benefit to the advancement of humanity is still there.
julianmorrison1 votesWednesday, January 16, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Please do barge in.
It seems to me that as with Shumacher/Ferrari, the winner won't just be tech but a tech+human team. Untrained me could get in a cutting edge Formula-1 car, and lose any race I entered.
I really don't see how showing off your superior birth-genetic athleticism is better than showing off your superior lab-designed athleticism. In fact the latter may be more praiseworthy, because it's the fruit of creativity, not meiosis.
