5.3. The fuzzy dimensions of human life span segments and psychobio-evolution: Trends and Imperatives

pp. 54-58 in Bioethics and the Impact of Human Genome Research in the 21st Century

Author: R.N. Sharma (National Chemical Laboratory, India)

Editors: Norio Fujiki, Masakatu Sudo, and Darryl R. J. Macer
Eubios Ethics Institute

Copyright 2001, Eubios Ethics Institute All commercial rights reserved. This publication may be reproduced for limited educational or academic use, however please enquire with the author.
Introduction

The importance of the human species stands emphasized and prominent1 in the spatio-temporal coordinates of the universe as we know it today (AD 2000) for the simple, inescapable and incontrovertible fact of our isolation hitherto as the only sentience in the only planet known to exhibit the phenomenon of life. The fancy flights of human imagination in the genres of science fiction, and what seems to be a boom of discoveries of new planets in a hitherto frustratingly arid scenario have rekindled hopes of finding consanguine extra-terrestrial sentience. However, the profound query "where are they" still remains relevant and sums up the plausibility of all conjectures on the subject2. Till definite knowledge is obtained of life elsewhere in the universe, the planet earth remains a lone Gaia sustaining innumerable species, and among these the Homo sapiens as a unique model of sentience and intelligence.

With the numerous rapid multidimensional advances in the frontiers of human knowledge, all aspects of the human species have come into focus of intense scrutiny. With the elucidation of the human genome itself, it is important that the sum product of the latter, the human, is also elucidated in all its manifold ramifications and corollaries through all its states (periods/segments) of existence.

The Ages of Man (Figure 1)

Pre-embryonic

The human, like most life, begins as a singularity in the shape of the fused one cell entity, the zygote. However, some pragmatic influences on parents are also now being recognized as contributing factors in eventual embryonic and later development .Thus some forms of chemical or physical (temperature, radiation) exposure may damage or `weaken' sperms and ova sufficiently to debilitate , distort or destroy pre or post natal outcome.

Pre-natal

 Prenatal or embryonic/intrauterine influences are presumably more profound. The great Indian epic of Mahabharata has a famous episode in which Abhimanyu, son of the great warrior, Arjuna, `learnt' the strategy of breaching a near impenetrable `Chakravyuh' or military formation while in his mother's womb as his father related it to his pregnant wife one night. Unfortunately, the lady slept off before Arjuna could complete the full elucidation of the final manoeuvre of escape from the breach. Years later, in the great battle of Mahabharata, Abhimanyu breached the enemy Chakravyuh successfully, but was killed when he was unable to find his way out.

Today, the metronomic rhythm of the human ( the mother's) heart in pre-natal development has been implicated in the origin of the human propensity to doze in response to rhythmic beats. The effect of hazardous chemicals, notably tobacco, alcohol, various `hard' drugs and/or radiation damage on the developing fetus are well known.

"Midwives tales' of psychological influences (emotional, repeated audio-visual, other) during pregnancy are also not dismissed out of hand today, even though their acceptance may not be without reservations.

Nutritional deficiencies, as for example due to poverty or other sociological ills, also affect both pre and post natal development and quality of life in later years.

Post natal

It is now generally recognized that the first few ( even as little as three) years of the human child's life are perhaps psychologically most impressionable. It has been suggested that these are the formative years for personality, or physche, of the individual.

We know, of course, that childhood diseases can leave mental and physical traumas, even as prophylactic measures for their prevention can help in the developing of a healthy and robust human being.

Adolescent (11-19 yrs)

 The adolescent ( especially pre and teen periods, as identified above) years provide the scaffold for the development of psychological, spiritual and intellectual roots laid in the substratum of childhood.

Figure 1: Segments Of Influence & Development In Human Life Spans

PRE-NATAL

SEGMENT NATURE OF NFLUENCE(S)

 & DEVELOPMENT(S)

PRE-EMBRYONIC CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL,

(GAMETES) OVERALL/OTHER

EMBRYONIC CHEMICAL,PHYSICAL

(UTERINE) OTHER: AUDIO ?

 - PSYCHOLOGICAL

POST-NATAL

EARLY CHILDHOOD CHEMICAL,PHYSICAL, ALL

(0 - 3 YRS) EXPERIENTIAL : THE BASIC

PERSONALITY MOULD (?)

 CHILDHOOD

(3 - 11 YRS) FORMATIVE

ADOLESCENCE EXPERIENTIAL

 (11 - 19 YRS)

REPRODUCTIVE

ADULT SEGMENT

 (19 - 50 YRS) (13 - 50 YRS) EMOTIONAL

STABILISING

MATURE ADULT

(50 - 60 YRS) MATURITY

OLD AGE

(60 PLUS) GERIATRIC PROBLEMS

END OF LIFE - ISSUES

(70 -100 YRS - BEYOND) - QUESTIONS

 The Reproductive Human (13-50 yrs)

 The impregnability of the germ line cells has been an inviolate dictum of biology. This needs intense study and analyses despite the Lamarckian overtones in any speculation to transpose somatic experiences (in the nature, essentially, of chemical influences at micro-bio/cellular levels) on or into the germinal epithelium. The nature-nurture conundrum continues, however, as a background grey area in human consciousness4. The human is said to have escaped the tyranny of mindless biological evolution through the avenue of cultural transmission of knowledge and experience. However, the present state of science and technology legitimately highlight the need for more accelerated and comprehensive transmission of acquired human knowledge. There are obviously insurmountable limits to cultural, including cyber transmission modes. The time has come to explore extant, nascent, unevolved and/or potential biological modes of transmission. It is argued that the 'optimum' biological ( and psycho-social ) window for human reproduction in the years 18-36 rules out 1-10 early formative, and 45 and beyond dynamic segments of human intellectual and experiential development. It has been hinted that probably psychological, intellectual or even spiritual propensities, or proclivities sometimes seem to evince in progenies. With continuing advancements in the frontier of biochemistry and biotechnology, an attempt should be made to elucidate some of these propositions, as also to engineer, new biological avenues of human psycho-evolution.

'Old' age conundrum (60 yr plus)

 Geriatric constants are changing rapidly the world over. Advances in medical and genetic technologies may push these to, perhaps, limits inconceivable today. However, the quality of life, as also some disturbing bioethical questions of the newer technologies are issues which will need not inconsiderable effort towards satisfactory resolution.

The human community of an admittedly distant utopia would seek retention of maximum physical and intellectual prowess, and consequent spiritual ( and reproductive; genetic? ) consummation till the termination of life at whichever constant the future may finally fix the latter. This should be one of the goals of modern Bioethics.

End of Life

 Human life, or rather, the individual entity/psyche must end some time despite the highest achievements in Science. It has been correctly argued that cloning could reproduce bodies; not psyches. Perhaps some bio or cyber/neuro jugglery in an hitherto uncontemplated future may clone individualities, too. However, given our predilections at even the most innocent of GMOs, one may reasonably doubt a wholesale reproduction of the complete human entity, and its perpetuation to a virtual state of immortality. The psycho-social problems the latter may entail would probably militate against the human species taking such a step, even if it was possible.

More important, relevant, and immediate today are end of life issues which have existed for ages, and those which have emerged more recently, and yet others likely to develop in the future. These include bio-medical, socio-economic and fundamental bioethical precepts.

Conclusion

The time has come for the human species to emerge from its hitherto inane juvenility to responsible adult hood5. This, high desideratum, however, cannot be achieved by a humanity fragmented disastrously by unyielding mental and physical boundaries. Numerous problems still besiege a beleaguered humanity, but nascent hopes have also very tentatively begun sprouting for the vaguely defined but ageless and universal human dream of the Superhuman. The need today is to extend global liberalization (of economies) and camaraderie to the sphere of the human spirit. This would entail destroying barriers and boundaries which have divided the human community through the ages, and arrive at a global consensus to forge one human nation recognizing human needs and aspirations as the only divine mandates. The recent 'Millenium' Summit' of nations and religions were first, though admittedly tremulous, steps towards the path of universal harmony. However, the steps, and the pace, as also above all, the honesty of intention, and sense of purpose, must be accelerated not inconsiderably in the coming years. This is not merely a desideratum for human progress. It is an imperative for a new Bioethics, and planetary survival. In context of the unique position of the human species as outlined in the Introduction, the 'who cares' jeer of some misguided pseudo intellectuals becomes completely redundant, if not asinine. The modalities of uniting the 'races' of man in all their rainbow raiments of matter, and the spirit, should be the most compelling agenda of Bioethics today. Redefinition and reconstruction of human life and its segments, in all their variety and potential, as a prelude to the even greater control and/or channelisation of further human development and evolution, could be among the noveau steps the human species must encourage to achieve some of the broader objectives outlined here (Fig. 2). See Figures 3 and 4 for some radical propositions in the backdrop of Hominid evolution.

Figure 2: Human Development : Modification/Channelisation Possibilities

MAJOR MODES POSSIBLE AVENUES/

 MECHANISMS

PSYCHO-SOCIAL - LEARNING

- EXPERIENTIAL

MEDICAL - PROPHYLACTIC

- AMERIOLATIVE

 BIOLOGICAL - GENETIC

PSYCHO-BIOLOGICAL - FUTURISTIC

EVOLUTIONARY

Figure 3: Some Propositions
  1. Links between the 'soma' and the pregametic formations for selective or total transmission of neuronic and other experiential lifetime accretions.

  2. Similar additional maternal inputs to the intrauterine developing foetus.

Unravelling mechanisms of these if they exist and/or creating/supplementing these should be the rubric, and will become the rubicon of human evolution, and transform it as well all our precepts, hopefully in the near future

Figure 4: Hominid Evolution
APE 3.5 Million Years

MAN

CHIMP ----------------- DNA DIFF: < 2% -----------

AUSTRALOPITHECUS HOMO

robustus habilis

afrianses erectus

aethiopicus BIPEDALISM etc

Human Evolutionary

Rubicon

etc INTELLIGENCE

etc sapiens

40,000 YRS

MODERN MAN

PROTOCULTURES

AGRICULTURE

(10,000 YRS)

MODERN CULTURES & COMMUNITIES

CIVILISATIONS

CULTURAL EVOLUTION

THE FUTURE ????

References

  1. R.N.Sharma : Intrinsic `Value' Ethics of Life Systems. In Environment and Bioethics. Eds. Francis P. Xavier and others. Loyola College Publications, Chennai. 2000

  2. S.J.Dick : Life on Other Worlds. Cambridge University Press. 1998

  3. T.Kirkwood : Time of Our Lives. Widenfield and Nicolson, London. 1999

  4. R.N.Sharma :Identifying and Defining Levels and Limits of Biological Life and Evolution. In Bioethics in India. Eds. J.Azariah, H.Azariah and D.R.J.Macer. Eubios Ethics Institute. 1998

  5. R.N.Sharma : Universal Ethical Singularity. EJAIB. 1998

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