More than 6 percent of Americans suffer from a serious mental illness. This means that around 15 million people cannot live their lives to the fullest. An example of this is the fictional story “Flowers for Algernon,” in which Charlie Gordon, a mentally disabled person, undergoes an operation to increase his intelligence. His intelligence tripled for about a month, then began to decline. All of this could be changed if an intelligence-enhancing operation were used. If artificial augmentation of intelligence were possible, this procedure should be applied because it would create more intelligent people to help create cures for diseases, humans could improve to become more efficient, and mentally disabled people could lead a normal life. Increasing intelligence could help create smarter people to help cure diseases. Jonas Salk, a world-renowned scientist, contributed greatly to science; Jonas Salk had great intelligence. He developed a vaccine against polio, a disease that has paralyzed and/or killed millions of people around the world. Jonas Salk was able to develop a cure for polio because he was smart. Without it, many people around the world would still be suffering. Although Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine in the 1900s, many important vaccines were developed before then. In the 1700s, Edward Jenner developed a vaccine for another deadly disease; By injecting a child with smallpox, Edward Jenner developed a cure for smallpox. Edward Jenner used his intelligence and reasoning to take the first step in developing a smallpox vaccine. This vaccine has saved the lives of many adults and children at risk of contracting this disease. Overall a smarter pe...... middle of paper ...... done many tests and carefully inspected before it can be used. Another criticism of this procedure might be that increasing intelligence would be unfair to those who have worked hard to succeed. On the other hand, people who have worked for their success might also undergo the procedure and become even more successful. Overall, the benefits outweigh the risks of an intelligence augmentation procedure similar to this. If a procedure to artificially increase intelligence were applied, there would be more intelligent people, which means less disease, humans would become more efficient through biomechanical improvements. and people with intellectual disabilities would not have to live their lives like this. Think of a perfect world where there are no global problems. Now think about an intelligence augmentation operation. This operation is the gateway to a more perfect future.