Bringing together historical and ethical insights on the revolutionary, Nobel prize winning CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, this accessible book examines the history of human attempts to understand and control our evolution, how the CRISPR/Cas9 technology works and what it could mean for the elimination of genetic diseases.

Sahotra Sarkar is a Professor in the Departments of Philosophy and Integrative Biology at the University of Texas, Austin. He came to Texas after teaching at Boston and McGill Universities and holding fellowships at MIT and the Max Planck Institute. A specialist in the history and philosophy of science, he has particular interests in both philosophy of biology and physics.

Preface / 1. Inborn Errors of Metabolism / 2. Genetic Hygiene and Its Aftermath / 3. Molecular Diseases, Elusive Treatments / 4. Dreams of Gene Therapy / 5. The Human Genome Project / 6. The CRISPR Revolution / 7. Inevitable Eugenics? / 8. The Elimination of Genetic Diseases / 9. Designer Baby Delusions / 10. The Future of the Human Genome