Why do people object to genetic modification?

[JBeukema]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

 

[Dis]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

There's already too many damned people in the world.. You want to make sure there's more?

 

[JBeukema]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

There's already too many damned people in the world..

Feel free to kill yourself and help save the earth

There aren't too many humans on Earth; there are too many people in certain regions. It's kinda like how people say earth can't feed us all, when to actual problem is distribution


Besides, genetic manipulation and transhumanism could, in theory, help alleviate Man's need for food in a n umber of ways

 

[editec]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

They object, I suppose, not to the good things it can obviously do, but to the amazingly bad things it can ALSO do.

For example...suppose we could insure that every child was a superchild (according to our understanding of it at that moment) with excellent health.

So we do that and over time the human genome becomes less and less random and more and more similar.

Does that really sound like a good idea?

I'll tell you why I think that isn't a good idea.

Because we cannot KNOW what genes in combination we're going to need in the future.

We'd have to know everything about every gene, and everything about how every combination of potential human genes plays out PLUS we'd have to know what combination of human genes will be needed in the future, too.

There is something to be said for the haphazard random system of combining genes that created us as we are now.

And I do not think mankind will ever be intelligent to know which genes we can eliminate from the gene pool.

So the potential mistakes are all out there waiting to be made, aren't they?

 

[JBeukema]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

They object, I suppose, not to the good things it can obviously do, but to the amazingly bad things it can ALSO do.

For example...suppose we could insure that every child was a superchild (according to our understanding of it at that moment) with excellent health.

So we do that and over time the human genome becomes less and less random and more and more similar.

Does that really sound like a good idea?

I'll tell you why I think that isn't a good idea.

Because we cannot KNOW what genes in combination we're going to need in the future.

We know what genes cause weakness, and the development of this technology will give us the tools to confront future challenges that will arise. Your concern is unfounded, as we're simply talking about removing known defects and encouraging the spread of beneficial genes and mutations, not destroying hum genetic diversity (actually humans lack genetic diversity, although not quite as bad as the cheetahs)

We'd have to know everything about every gene, and everything about how every combination of potential human genes plays out PLUS we'd have to know what combination of human genes will be needed in the future, too.

incorrect. By your argument, we must do what we can, for who knows how much worse our current flaws will get.

There is something to be said for the haphazard random system of combining genes that created us as we are now.

You mean the random assortment of ancient viruses and 'non-human' DNA that causes us so many problems?

 

[sidneyworld]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

Isn't it remarkable that most atheists are on a never ending mission to perpetuate their mortality? It's a true indication that death is not something they either understand, or accept as part of life. Self improvement is a wonderful thing. It raises a person's self-esteem and general morale and confidence. But as with cloning, we are physically mortal human beings and death is simply a part of the end of one life, and the beginning of another. Getting an overhall should never evolve into physical immortality.

The good news is, it never will.. no matter how hard non-believers defy this very fact.

Anne Marie

 

[JBeukema]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

Isn't it remarkable that most atheists are on a never ending mission to perpetuate their mortality?

Which is why the religious receive more critical; care and fight death harder than non-believers
You're like this idiot at the other board who hates science and 'godlessness' and 'trusts god'- yet when his kid was born premature, he didn't go to church, but to a hospital He didn't trust god, he trusted science, when it really mattered

 

[dilloduck]

" and on the 10th day, God told Adam--'go invent science'.

 

[sidneyworld]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

Isn't it remarkable that most atheists are on a never ending mission to perpetuate their mortality?

Which is why the religious receive more critical; care and fight death harder than non-believers
You're like this idiot at the other board who hates science and 'godlessness' and 'trusts god'- yet when his kid was born premature, he didn't go to church, but to a hospital He didn't trust god, he trusted science, when it really mattered

As human beings we have the ability to heal ourselves physically to a great extent. We actually have the responsibility to preserve life and to take care of our human form. It is absolutely ridiculous to not go to a hospital and seek medical treatment when it is necessary. Albeit this country is profusely overmedicated, which in itself, decreases life expectancy, but medicine, like science in general enriches our lives because it allows us to appreciate our existence on earth a little longer.

Jehovah Witnesses have created endless controversy on matters concerning medical treatment, especially when children are involved. If a child is sick or injured the primary responsibility to that child is to get any available medical treatment. To do anything else is completely negligence and bording on abusive. The indocrination of religion practice to a child or a minor should never subject them to such negiligence.

JB, your assumptions about my beliefs, based on idle supposition along with your colossal ego is losing you much credibility. And I'm certainly not the only member on this board who believes that.

Anne Marie

 

[xsited1]

Why do people object to a science that could make our species hiv-resistant, remove genetic defects, improve out overall health, increase life expectancy...

Who are these people and what do they have against silicone breast implants???

 

[JBeukema]

We actually have the responsibility to preserve life and to take care of our human form.

responsibility to whom? demonstrate (something you never do)

It is absolutely ridiculous to not go to a hospital and seek medical treatment when it is necessary.

Why? Don't you trust god? What happened to 'your will be done on Earth'?

JB, your assumptions about my beliefs, based on idle supposition along with your colossal ego

you said you accept the bible as authority; if I know more about it than you do, then that merely proves you an idiot.

is losing you much credibility

JB is one of the most credible people on USMB. JB is not popular because people feel stupid after B shows them to be so

 

[Immanuel]

Why?

Because "today" we might be working on a cure for HIV. Tomorrow maybe it is the cure for skin color? Someone thinks we should all be lily white and begins to work to remove skin tone or worse yet works to eliminate anyone who doesn't fit the perfect human being bill. As in weeding out the bad people... need we go further?

Who is to decide what genetic traits are good and which are bad?

Who is to decide which human beings thrive and which ones die?

Immie

 

[sidneyworld]

We actually have the responsibility to preserve life and to take care of our human form.

responsibility to whom? demonstrate (something you never do)

It is absolutely ridiculous to not go to a hospital and seek medical treatment when it is necessary.

Why? Don't you trust god? What happened to 'your will be done on Earth'?

JB, your assumptions about my beliefs, based on idle supposition along with your colossal ego

you said you accept the bible as authority; if I know more about it than you do, then that merely proves you an idiot.

is losing you much credibility

JB is one of the most credible people on USMB. JB is not popular because people feel stupid after B shows them to be so

Go to your room, little man. You have nothing to offer with such silly responses.

Anne Marie

 

[JBeukema]

Why?

Because "today" we might be working on a cure for HIV. Tomorrow maybe it is the cure for skin color?

I sense a reductio ad hitlerum coming on...

Someone thinks we should all be lily white and begins to work to remove skin tone

and? If people chose to improve their child's aesthetics to better match their or their culture's ideal of beauty,. would that be so horrible for the poor child who is born and grows up ()barring environmental factors) to be perceived as exceptionally beautiful?

or worse yet works to eliminate anyone who doesn't fit the perfect human being bill.

genetics =/= genocide, you idiot

this is a blatant red herrring

Who is to decide what genetic traits are good and which are bad?

hmm... is increased resistance to HIV a good thing?

wow... that's a toughie

Who is to decide which human beings thrive and which ones die?

Who said anyone about anyone dying or being killed?

red herring + reductio ad absurdium = total dishonesty


Thanks for demonstrating that objections are totally illogical and unreasonable

 

[wvulax]

We can just look at issues affecting us right now concerning genetics.

Genetically modified seed, which was changed to grown better in rougher terrain, was sent to Africa and rejected on religious reasons. This is a continent plagued with hunger, and they won't touch genetically modified corn because a religious leader says so. The funny thing is that most seeds are genetically modified no matter what to ensure that growers have to come back.

So why do people still reject genetically modified food?

 

[eagleseven]

We can just look at issues affecting us right now concerning genetics.

Genetically modified seed, which was changed to grown better in rougher terrain, was sent to Africa and rejected on religious reasons. This is a continent plagued with hunger, and they won't touch genetically modified corn because a religious leader says so. The funny thing is that most seeds are genetically modified no matter what to ensure that growers have to come back.

So why do people still reject genetically modified food?

Paranoia and lack of education about GMOs.

 

[JBeukema]

We can just look at issues affecting us right now concerning genetics.

Genetically modified seed, which was changed to grown better in rougher terrain, was sent to Africa and rejected on religious reasons. This is a continent plagued with hunger, and they won't touch genetically modified corn because a religious leader says so.

Then let them starve, and when they're dead, we'll see whether there's anything in the land that we want.


I wish all the theists would trust their god and stop crawling to science to solve their health problems. When all their kind has died, humanity can finally move forward, unbound by the glorified ignorance and backwardness of the vast majority of the world's religions

 

[eagleseven]

Isn't it remarkable that most atheists are on a never ending mission to perpetuate their mortality?

No, no it isn't. Do you accept starvation? Do you accept dieing in a car accident? Do you accept childhood leukemia?

No. You try to produce more food. You fight for better safety standards. You develop better cancer treatments.

Likewise, geneticists are attempting to overcome more of our shortcomings through unconventional means. But do remember, todays' "unconventional means" are tomorrow's "commonplace occurrence."

It's a natural impulse. I support human genetic modification and human amplification with technology, yes. And while we will eventually defeat aging as a cause of death, we will always be unable to eliminate one cause of human death: other humans.

Oh, and I'm one of those people playing around with genes for a living

 

[JBeukema]

we will always be unable to eliminate one cause of human death: other humans.

Unfortunately, all evidfence supports your assertion

Oh, and I'm one of those people playing around with genes for a living

?
Clarify; we're talking about a pretty big field, here

 

[RodISHI]

When all their kind has died, humanity can finally move forward, unbound by the glorified ignorance and backwardness of the vast majority of the world's religions

Dream on....