Compassionate biology: How CRISPR-based "gene drives" could cheaply, rapidly and sustainably reduce suffering throughout the living world

Abstract

CRISPR-based gene drives can potentially be used to reduce suffering in all species of sexually reproducing organisms. Gene drives can be used to “fix” the level of suffering endured by members of entire free-living and sexually reproducing species at minimal cost and inconvenience to humans, without waiting for a full-blown transition to mature nanotechnology and post-human superintelligence. Using gene drives to optimize well-being could massively amplify the effects of even exceedingly weak and fitful human benevolence towards non-human animals. Helping an entire species of small fast-reproducing vertebrate within the time-frame of two or three decades, and an entire species of sexually fast-reproducing insect or marine invertebrate within two to three years – AI-generated abstract.