ABSTRACT
Society has withstood this transformation well, and indeed many would concede that more people are mindful that the quality of their lives has increased by whatever measure they choose to use. The persecution of individuals for what they think is a matter of the past; people are not excommunicated if they fall foul of religious law; unmarried mothers are helped and supported; cohabitation is a prevalent mode of living; divorce is easy; a security net prevents the starvation of the indigent; travel to other countries is permitted. But there are yet challenges in the offing that will test our social integrity. The new tools in the wings, waiting for a window of opportunity to take a position on the stage, are capable of totally transforming our societies yet again. Their impact has not really been conceived because, as tools, they are not yet competent for application. When these tools do come onstream, we could well be on the brink of a further suite of ethical changes. How we handle these developments and devise ethical systems that will protect and enhance our lives are the challenges that the development and use of these new tools pose.
