Future Hi: Replacing Our DNA

May 11, 2004

Replacing Our DNA

I'm subscribed to Kurzweil.net's daily newsletter and somehow I missed this one. Thanks DRT.

Ray Kurzweil has proposed a nanobiotechnology research program to replace the cell nucleus and ribosome machinery with a nanocomputer and nanobot to prevent diseases and aging and another program to create defensive technologies against rogue designer viruses.
Kurzweil presented the ideas in a keynote at the recent "Breakthrough Technologies for the World's Biggest Problems" conference on April 28, sponsored by the Arlington Institute.

The nucleus is basically a computer that stores the DNA genetic code and controls gene expression via RNA, messenger RNA, and ribosomes, which build amino acid sequences that get folded into proteins that control everything else.

Using nanotechnology expected to be available in the late 2020s, a nanocomputer would store and execute the software of the genetic code and the expression of genetic information. It would direct a nanobot to construct the amino acid sequences (eventually, it could also construct the folded proteins). The system would "block uncontrolled replication and DNA transcription errors, and virus replication that can result in cancer, disease, and aging," he said. "It could also upgrade the genetic code to eliminate other diseases, reverse aging, and enhance human abilities."

The concept of modeling the genetic code in software and using nanobots to repair a patient's DNA was suggested by Robert A. Freitas, Jr. in the book Nanomedicine Vol I. Kurzweil's concept would go further, replacing DNA, RNA, mRNA, and ribosomes with software and nanobots.

What I would like to ask Kurzweil though is this. If we have the technology to upgrade our cells to be immune from genetic disease, aging and killer designer viruses, couldn't the same nanotechnology be used to kill us by rogue nano-terrorists? Of course such an escalating war is exactly what we have with computers now. But can you imagine having to upgrade to the latest nanobot immune enhancers every time someone releases a killer virus into the world? Would such the assembler instructions be available free for download, or would we all be dependent on a few Symantic-like comanies of nanosecurity to keep on living? If intellectual property continues like it is, and I don't think it will, then I can see millions of people dying each time a new nanovirus is released because these people couldn't afford the latest patches. And since it is life itself we are talkign about, that gives the nanosecurity firms WAY more leverage than I would ever accept.

My hypothesis however is different than Kurzweil's however, as I think he underestimates just how disruptive these technologies will be. I imagine by the time nanomedicine of this maturity is available, virtually all aspects of our current societal, political and legal structures will be obsolete or utterly transformed...hopefully for the better. This is THE debate raging in transhumanist circles these days. Will there be a soft or hard takeoff? Will humanity be able to navigate this takeoff through the singularity, or will we need something like Friendly AI? All very good questions, which this site and many others are trying to answer.