I feel that the dial dilema puts a limit on the potential for either based on our capactiy as humans. I don't feel that there is an inert cap on knowledge and inteligence, because as knowledge increases, there is more recognizable knowledge in the world.

Without having any idea of the likely consequences of twiddling these dials the whole exercise would be a crap shoot, one subject to the randomness of nature but driven by ego-centered desires to manipulate events to our satisfaction. I think we have enough of that already. So I would toss the dials into an incinerator and let nature and (hopefully) good parenting have their shot.

I think, if I had such dials, I would turn the intelligence dial to 8 and the beauty dial to 6.

I knew a genius who had great difficulty both in his own psyche and with the "world out there".

I've known way too many "beautiful people" who have been evaluated according to their "looks alone".

I guess, upon self analysis, it's interesting to me that I see the potential "flaws" in both great beauty and massive intellect. Maybe because I've had some training in The Lutheran Church? ;-)

well considering I get a 10 and a 10.. I could only hope to pass that on to my kids....:p

kiTTiE.
Engineering Physicist and a Fashion Model :P plus.. I'd be an "empath" on star trek...
getting my masters in international policies and development... spending time overseas with engineers without borders.

Let's say that the total of both dials could be 15. What would you choose? How does gender affect your choice? The sad truth is that our culture still favors "beautiful" women and "successful" men. What those mean is subjective, but you'd better believe that if there was a way, I'd set the dials. Perhaps prayer is the closest we get to controlling the dials.

some of the severly handicapped people may have an intellegence far above & beyond our own . all thats needed is a translation bridge built so we can meet in the middle.

Humans strive for perfection in all forms of aptitude and beauty... physical, emotional, intellectual... etc. The question is answered everyday by your own actions, what numbers do you strive for (which numbers are you comfortable with). By nature of having children you further proliferate that desire to improve. Life is the journey of striving for that perfection... you make the choices as to what that perfection is. The arguements I have seen so far are that 10/10 is accepted to be the ultimate settings... whos to say some other combination is not the more "perfect"?

My observation on humans has led me to expect most people would put both dials at 10, and then next year start complaining that the dials don't go to 11.

What if the dials were for you, not your future child. Suppose like Cliff you are already at 9.8 on the intelligence dial. What do you do to enhance your career? If you are a scientist, you go for 9.9 in intelligence. If you are a politician, which way do you turn the dial?

I like the idea that your dials must total ten,
leaving tough choices

If you do set the dials to 10 your kids will encounter problems. If your kids are too attractive they will have problems with the opposite gender. If your kids are too smart they may be bullied or have too much stress. You can`t set a dial before birth or even after birth, many children have problems that make thier attention spans short and keep them from learning as easily. Let children control thier dials for the first few years and they may be happy or change thier dials and wait for a good or bad outcome. My own father tampered with my dial and now I`m here instead of playing with other kids. Tamper your own dial before you tamper with your childrens` dials.

I would set both dials to 10. If the person was very intelligent and wise, and it was "useful" for him or her to be less beautiful from time to time (for example, to attract less attention), the person could always reduce the beauty manually, for example, by wearing no makeup or by avoiding flashy clothes. Possibly, I would set the beauty to 8 and the intelligence to 10 so that the focus would be on achievement rather than more shallow aspects of existence -- but let's see if the person "can have it all" and be happy.

you should all be shot.if one dial does not affect the other.(which in nature seems to be true.)set the dials for the center of the sun!10,obviusly,fuck'in hippies,sheesh!