Voluntary Selection; Bringing Evolution at the Service of Humanity

Abstract

Human populations can be characterized by their corresponding phenotypic profiles which do not necessarily align. These differences are not our points of strength in building harmonious societies and establishing a sustainable world order; it is therefore desirable to seek a pathway to resolve them. This article reflects on genetics as the most profound source of our differences and introduces Voluntary Selection as a means of acquiring genetic qualities and resolving the imbalance in their possession by different populations. Voluntary Selection is a healthcare program allowing for voluntarily involving the reproductive cells of another individual than the parents to conceive a child at the discretion of a parent population. Genetic qualities in this context are desired phenotypes as perceived by each population. The article then presents a computational approach through which thoughtful decisions about the design of a program can be made. These methods are applied to a pedigree data set of adult heights and the results are used to demonstrate the influence of the program design and the significance of its outcomes.