In his book Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution, Francis Fukuyama explores the essence of our humanity – i. e. that which sets humans apart from other animals. This human essence, to Fukuyama is the Factor X. Humans have a dual character as animals but are more importantly qualitatively above animals. When the human is stripped of all contingency and accidents, it is this Factor X which sets us above animals that stands as a testament of the human nature.
(“Francis Fukuyama”) Consequently, anything that dilutes or manipulates this human essence, has a potential of bringing an end the our humanity as we know it. To Fukuyama, the advancement and use of biotechnology in pharmaceutical drugs and other food substances used by humans has a great potential in tampering with this all-important Factor X and stripping us of the very essence of our humanity. Important in the concept of this Factor X is the view that liberal democracy is a natural expression of our humanity and as such bound to the essence of our humanity.
The demise of the socialist/communist paradigm has left humanity with the only possible choice available – liberal democracy which is the culmination of our human history. This is so because it is the most natural option available. Thus tampering with Factor X through biotechnology does not only have biological ramifications but political consequences as well. If liberal democracy is natural to us as humans, then any biotechnological endeavour that manipulates the essence of our humanity will also signal the end of history and by extension of liberal democracy.
As Carl Elliott in his review of Our Posthuman Future has succinctly put it, biotechnological “manipulation may well undermine the basic biological condition that sustain liberal democracy. History might continue, but only as a Posthuman History. ” (42)
Works Cited Elliott, Carl. “The Importance of Being Human” The Hastings Center Report, Vol. 32, No. 6 (Nov. – Dec. , 2002), pp. 42-45 Fukuyama, Francis. Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution. London: Profile Books, 2002