Would You Choose Your Baby’s Intelligence? Inside Embryo Selection and Genetic Enhancement

What if we could select the optimal genetic traits for our children? In this episode of Endgame, Amanda Cassatt sits down with bioethicist and philosopher Jonathan Anomaly to explore the cutting edge of reproductive biotechnology. They dismantle the social and political taboos surrounding genetic curation, tracing everything from the uncomfortable reality of cognitive capacities and human success to the macro ethical implications of advanced embryo selection. Jonathan argues why denying genetic influence is an intellectually dangerous myth and details how decentralized biotechnology will soon allow humanity to shift from being passive victims of natural selection to becoming its active architects. This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about modern inequality, human cognitive potential, and the existential risks of trying to optimize our own species. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 04:59 What Does “Eugenics” Mean Today? 09:13 IQ, Personality & Cognitive Diversity 15:47 Are Intelligence and Personality Genetic? 18:11 Nature vs. Nurture: How Much Is Genetic? 20:35 Is IQ Really 70% Heritable? 22:50 Why IQ Matters for Embryo Selection 27:21 How Much Can Embryo IQ Actually Differ? 29:43 The Risks of Maximizing Intelligence 32:08 Should We Genetically “Optimize” Humans? 34:26 How Genetic Selection Could Change Dating 36:47 Sperm Donors, Genetics & the Future of Reproduction 39:07 Do Polygenic Embryo Scores Actually Work? 41:24 How Herasight Predicts Genetic Traits 43:46 The Genetic Data Gap Across Ancestries 46:06 IVG, Artificial Wombs & the Future of IVF 48:26 When Could “Babies From a Blood Draw” Arrive? 50:23 CRISPR, Gene Editing & Its Biggest Risks 52:52 Are We Going Too Far With Human Genetics? 55:07 Should Parents Prevent Genetic Disabilities? 56:29 The Ethics of Selecting Against Disease 57:45 The Hidden Risks of Genetic Selection 58:08 Should Genetics Be Left to the Free Market? 58:28 The Coming “Polygenic Revolution” 59:00 Can We Make Human Nature Better? Stay Connected  Amanda on X:  https://x.com/amandacassatt    Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin\_hq  Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/45B9szUxVXEwfCDA6uRxwq?si=HT9XXqF9Q2CcM9hfLbmkVg    Endgame on Apple Podcasts  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440   Follow Jonathan Anomaly https://x.com/JonathanAnomaly Don’t forget to subscribe!