Richard Harvey

Portrait of Richard Harvey

Richard Harvey is a dynamic speaker celebrated for his expertise in genetic technologies. His work focuses on understanding genes—instructions for making polypeptides—and exploring the diverse applications of genetic technologies. At the MTAConf 2020, he delivered an impactful presentation, titled Genetic Technologies and Biodiversification, that offered fresh perspectives in this rapidly evolving field.

Harvey’s interests span a range of topics within genetics, including personalized medicine, germ cell selection, and gene editing techniques like somatic and germline therapies. He acknowledges the potential of genetic modification in agriculture, while also expressing concerns about the concentration of ownership within a small number of organizations. He’s passionate about the ethical implications of individual genetic sequencing.

Videos by Richard Harvey

Genetic Technologies and Biodiversification
36:55

Richard Harvey

Genetic Technologies and Biodiversification

Richard Harvey surveys genetic technologies from present capabilities to far-future possibilities, covering gene editing, personalized medicine, GMOs, and de-extinction. He raises ethical concerns about the concentration of genetic technology ownership, the mixed blessing of genetic diagnoses like Huntington’s disease, and the potential for personalized pathogens. Looking further ahead, Harvey explores how biodiversification could become a manufacturable resource and how our expanding powers will require new ethical frameworks—suggesting that religious transhumanism, with its tradition of contemplating human-like gods, offers valuable insights for thinking about the ethics of beings who can rewrite entire ecologies.