Cutting DNA in vivo can be a messy proposition compared to regulating it sometimes even if the artificial not-tuned-by-evolution regulation is at times low-precision.
Agreed. large scale editing of the genome is unacceptably risky. I imagine that biological transhumanism, if we bother before uploading, would be more likely to something like a HAC (human artificial chromosome). There are plenty of steps in the network above to interfere with, we don't need to incur the risk of malignancy or cell damage that would result from large scale editing of the genome. Even a method that was 99% accurate would be unacceptable.
I've been hearing around the news about a new genetic engineering method called CRISPR. The method can purportedly edit any gene in a human genome (or other animal or bacterium genome) with very high accuracy. The new method may remove the risks associated with gene therapy, which can introduce undesired mutations by inserting genes into the middle of an existing gene sequence.
Here's a report:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/this-is-a-triumph-of-basic-science-with-huge-implications-crispr-technique-breaks-the-mould-8925323.html
Thoughts? There is already discussion about the use of CRISPR with IVF (in-vitro fertilization) for the purposes of germ-line engineering, but even without this the method may prove very efficacious for gene therapy on non-germ-line cells. What are the ramifications for human engineering? For germ-line intelligence enhancement?