Which practices currently considered to be outrageous will make a moral comeback in the future court of public opinion? This is a question asked by Tyler Cowan at his blog. Among his predictions:
- Torture and loss of privacy — in some of its forms at least — already seem to be on the rise, at least in terms of their acceptability in the United States.
- With rising health care costs and tight budgets in many countries, can we not expect euthanasia to rise in moral popularity?
- I predict [preemptive warfare] will make a comeback.
- Robot and drone warfare may become even more commonplace, as will targeting at a distance and selective cyberwarfare.
- Won’t targeted genetic tests make abortion more popular and less sanctioned?
- Won’t the possibility of discrimination on the basis of genes…make discrimination more acceptable altogether?
Surely there are more things to contemplate. What about polygamy?
Perhaps we will see a return of the manly art of dueling.
Here’s a good bet. As genetic manipulation becomes ever more scientifically proficient, we will reach a point where we will do something that would seem abhorent today. We will forbid people from having children the old fashioned way — by throwing the genetic dice.
Bruce, why limit your self to dueling? Why not consider a return of the gladiators? Not for gore’s sake. But, say, as a way of giving criminals an alternative to a costly (for taxpayers) prison stay.
Forbid them, Joe? Like parents try to do with their teenagers? Good luck.
The only way you’ll be able to do that is with forced sterlization. And that’s a little over-the-top to win much public support.
Bullet points 2, 5 & 6 can all be combined harmoniously under the title of eugenics.