Biological Knock
Gregory Benford does an excellent job of setting the stage for the coming centuries' miracle technologies ( "Biology: 2001," November).
Like all good science fiction writers (and he is one of the best) he extrapolates the technical aspects of these developments into the logical consequences in all fields.
But I disagree with one of his conclusions. Over the course of history, the wealthy have never gained much more advantage over the rest of us than they have always had. Progress invariably makes luxuries affordable to the masses.
At first genetic "cosmetics" will probably be an astronomically priced extravagance, but market forces will generally make versions of these techniques available to any budget in packages that may differ but will be just as effective. After all you can't afford a BMW on a Ford Escort salary, but both will get you from one spot on the map to the next.
The rise of the technological plutocracy makes for great fiction, and it will likely remain just that.
Clifford W. Acre
Seattle, WA