Being Me (eBook)

'O brave new world, That has such people in't!'

Shakespeare, The Tempest

New scientific developments are changing the world, but whether
the world of our children and grandchildren will be the hell of
Huxley's Brave New World or the sheltered paradise
described by Shakespeare depends on how we choose to use these
developments.

That choice will frequently be driven by our appreciation of
what human beings really are. In this thought-provoking book Pete
Moore presents an antidote to the scientific reductionism that so
frequently seeks to narrow any definition of our species by single
features, such as our genes or the ability of our brains. This
exploration of the nature of humanity reveals the rainbow spectrum
that makes us who we are. Through discussions with individuals
whose lives help us to focus on individual aspects of our make up,
Moore explores the difficult issues that are facing us.

This book provides a timely reminder that technology cannot be
separated from its impact on real people and how their lives are
changed for the better or worse. Medical developments offer
tremendous opportunities for good, but if we lose sight of what it
is to be human they also have the ability to be used for very
dangerous, even evil purposes. We have a chance to influence this
future. We should not ignore the challenge.

DR PETE MOORE is a medical journalist and an official rapporteur
at Windsor Castle and the House of Lords. He is the author of Blood
and Justice (0470 848421, Hbk / 0470 84844 8 Pbk).