Med vsemi znanostmi največkrat napovedujejo biologiji in medicini, da bosta zaznamovali sedanje stoletje. Zagon jima je dala vrsta velikih dosežkov ob koncu prejšnjega in začetku tega stoletja. Naj omenim samo razvozlanje človeškega genoma, odkritje matičnih celic, prve korake sintetične biologije. Mnoga odkritja bodo koristna pri zdravljenju težko zdravljivih bolezni. Mnoga pa naj bi bila uporabljena za izboljševanje lastnosti sicer zdravih ljudi, za večanje ali spreminjanje njihovih obstoječih sposobnosti in celo za pridobivanje povsem novih. Še tretja pa utegnejo postati nevarna orožja v rokah vojske ali teroristov. Tega zadnjega prispevek ne bo obravnaval, čeprav je prav tu največ nevarnosti zlorab.

Human enhancement with the aid of medicine may, with advancement of technologies, present not only new challenges but also increasingly disturbing ethical doubts. Among these is the use of high-tech medicine for non-medical purposes, the gradual increase in the prevailing standards of individual appearance and physical abilities, as well as discrimination against those who cannot afford the costly procedures. There is also the seriously controversial possibility of genetic manipulation. The use of drugs enhancings attention, cognition and memory of healthy people in order to improve their working and learning abilities is increasingly widespread. It is important to recognize the ethical limitations of human enhancement in order to avoid far reaching undesired consequences.