genetic engineering (moral crime?)

Falstaff

With gene technology improving daily, and discoveries that lead to major leaps in genetic research, are we ready for a master race of engineered human beings? Whad do you all think. According to what I know, it is possible and is occuring even now. The very people that believe it is a moral crime to harvest stem cells are also looking into super humans to be future warriors, captains of industry and repopulate the world in a variety of capacities to improve the human condition, this also means our ability to reproduce successfully without surgical procedures. In our lifetime, we will see super humans.

Judas

Genetics and modifcation of such isn't a moral crime... no...

but for anyone that does anything, the outcome will be thier responcibility....

Falstaff

if we continue to occupy the planet and reproduce at the rate we are, I can certainly see the validity of population control, socialization and a master race if you will of genetically engineered human beings that will govern, contribute and improve the human condition. Of course, it is scary.....
who ever wins the race, combines the genetic material and begins the task of engineering a society of super humans if you will...
does any of this bother anyone? because it is happening.

Will genetic engineering produce a master race and a servile multitude? Spectator, The - Find Articles

BlueMak

Does this mean that Star Trek was right, just off for a couple of centuries?


I say, let genetic engineering come. Let anything come, I don't care. If some people want to control this pathetic species or this lone planet, let them. They will die eventualy as well. History is full with people and beings trying to play "god". I think it is the desire to validate themselves or something like that.
Anyway, if the humans can't handle some aggressive genetic mutation, then so be it, I am sure other species will be able to evolve after few more million years.

Senor_Mota

You couldn't have said it better.

Wolfraider

I think it is a very good time to replace humans.... so yes i support it 100% and i would even dare to run or donate to projects like that.
I want us to get eradicated as a species and be replaced by more responsible clever more intelligent creatures, or if we could than we should have a drug or treatment that makes us generally better.

If that doesnt work clone wars are always fun.... be it on star wars or on earth

Yes i am extremely tired of Nationalism, White/black/asian power, religious powers and all kind of meaningless claim of supremacy.
Master species/creatures? Yes! thank you!
Continue to be idiots and destroy ourselves in couple of years resulting technological breakdown and fall to stoneage? no thanks...

Rationalism and Technology is the answer.

Kazeko

I'm sorry, but I'm logically required to marvel in the sheer irony here. I"m not trying to be rude, but you've contradicted yourself.

"I'm extremely tired of... ...and all kinds of meaningless claims of supremacy"
"Master Race/species/creatures? Yes! Thank you!"

This struck me as humorous.


However... The psychological problem that comes into play heavily in today's world is that there's too much affluence. People are living so well in these days, that we strive and desire for something to pain our undisturbed existence for the sake of equalizing a complex of inexorable opposites present in our psyche.

Night and day, life and death, good and evil, heaven and hell.

The problem with many of the statements that have been made, is that their presence is only to create a level of psychological balance in the human psyche. - It's so good, we unconsciously strive for bad to even things out. -

"I'm ready for the end of the human race" - This is a statement looking for hardship to balance a super-affluent lifestyle. Wanting bad to balance the good.


So what about stem cell research? Truth be told - There will be those for, and against it. The technology will progress regardless of any powers at be. If it's accepted, it'll be marketed and commercialized in countries around the globe. If it's not, it'll become a crime and, like narcotics, will be trafficked.

The choice lies in where you want the technology to end up.


- This, btw, is where religion comes into play. Religion does not vie for power and supremacy. Only people and groups fight for power and control.

Wolfraider

Well the sentence does not contradict itself because what i said was not to get power but to improve the human being not trough ideology but genetics and technology that is not the same thing.
Yeah perhaps religion and all sort of other things dont oppose direct harm but who cares anything that is not beneficial in long term for this planet should be removed. And yes Technology advances without super beings but it can surely boost it's speed with them. And no im not rich/wealthy or poor i only think rational even if it dont seems so.

Yes it was stupid of me to take "race" i should have meant sub-species, because noone wants a grizzly or a specific people to reign over us.

dj_stick

on the topic of genetic engineering, i guess i support it to a point - to cure and prevent diseases, as for parents picking the characteristics of their child, i'd draw the line well before that

Zelig

Well, over 90% of pregnancies diagnosed with Down syndrome are terminated (in the US, I'm assuming the rates are similar in other developed countries), so we're on the way already.

Falstaff

what troubles me, are armies of soldiers, cadres of scientists, legions of cannon fodder and the divine elite that will grow based on the support of the de engineered or subordinate generations of those that wont benefit from genetic manipulation.
I recall the move Gatica...it was fortelling

Falstaff

what troubles me, are armies of soldiers, cadres of scientists, legions of cannon fodder and the divine elite that will grow based on the support of the de engineered or subordinate generations of those that wont benefit from genetic manipulation.
I recall the move Gatica...it was fortelling

BlueMak

I still say the original Star Trek wars were right. How were they called? DNA wars? no..eh damn it I can't remember.

Falstaff

I recall Orwell and Jules Verne. The truth about our future will be stranger than fiction.

BlueMak

Unless the aliens invade us or a huge space bug shit on the planet.

Senor_Mota

Source? And if that's the case, China's just been throwing babies out of the hospital window (especially girls) for the past twenty years due to overpopulation, not retardation.

It seems like we've been on the road to infanticide for a lot longer than any form of genetic engineering has...plus, cloned body parts and blood would eliminate the entire "donor compatibility" dilemma the whole world is facing right now. If you could remove things from the genome like paralysis, deformation, retardation and brain damage, it would not only be substantially beneficial, but would help create more productive members of society.

But when you really think about it, look where "playing God" has gotten us before...







It's really nowhere I'd like to be.

Zelig

Wiley InterScience : Prenatal Diagnosis

Important data is in the abstract.

[hobo]eclipse

its crappy cause its moving in the opposite direction of the natural balance the earth tries to maintain and will separate even further the "have and have nots"

Senor_Mota

Thanks!

Falstaff

My argument against genetic engineering is that in fact the desire to create an abstract version of human beings is fraught with problems that go far beyond the scope of philosophy. We have been and will continue to be successful in all our endeavors and perhaps within our life times see a world with genetically enhanced, improved or repaired peoples, perhaps even a new culture of superior beings, it remains to be seen. And BlueMak, I am afraid bug excrement has nothing to do with this.

OmegaRED

I'm against genetic engineering in that I don't want to live in a world that resembles the movie Gattica but if I ever have children I'd want them to tinker with the fetus as much as possible to eliminate potential defects and such.

Mousey

genetic engineering doesn't sound too fantastic if it isn't necessary, i'm all for helping to cure diseases and stuff like that which is why the folding @ home program is so successful.
Why make a human that's already perfectly good and well into some kind of superman?
I'm quite happy being just human,

gives me an excuse when things go wrong ;p

Falstaff

folding at home is successful?

how do you measure that?

Judas