Revisiting civic understanding of human nature is imperative to meeting the ethical challenges of advancing biotechnology: only by understanding the essence of humanity can society draw the lines for the beneficial use of science. There are four areas that present immediate challenges: knowledge of genetic causation, neuropharmacology, prolonged life, and genetic engineering — the latter being the most consequential. The must not be allowed to override human dignity, which is the touchstone of sociopolitical rights. Fukuyama’s argument is clear but policy prescriptions are thin. Additionally, the book (probably purposefully, given its scope) omits the question of artificial intelligence, both external and as a supplement to human biology (i.e., the body).