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Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 12:55 pm
What are the moral and ethical responsibilities of using genetic engineering to destroy a species?
http://fordebating.com/ForumTopic.aspx?Topicid=128
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 1:20 pm
We've been playing god ever since we started using electricity to power our homes, if not even earlier than that. I don't see anything unethical about it, as long as we aren't murdering people or stealing parts from them.
Of course part of this is stem cell research, and some people think killing a zygote/fetus should count as murder, but that's a debate I don't feel like getting into.
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 1:27 pm
WHAT'S THAT YOU SAID? THE VOLUME ON YOUR SIGNATURE IS REALLY LOUD.
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 1:27 pm
(April 3, 2018 at 1:20 pm)Chad32 Wrote: We've been playing god ever since we started using electricity to power our homes, if not even earlier than that. I don't see anything unethical about it, as long as we aren't murdering people or stealing parts from them.
Of course part of this is stem cell research, and some people think killing a zygote/fetus should count as murder, but that's a debate I don't feel like getting into.
It's about using genetic engineering to killing off an entire species of animals (in this case mosquitoes), don't you think that's a bit different than using a tool like electricity?
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 1:29 pm
That's a difficult moral question for sure.
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 1:38 pm
(April 3, 2018 at 1:27 pm)rskovride Wrote: WHAT'S THAT YOU SAID? THE VOLUME ON YOUR SIGNATURE IS REALLY LOUD.
Yelling is when you speak in all caps. My signature isn't in all caps unlike your response, so only one of us is "loud", the other has sight issue and prefers bigger fonts than 6 point.
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 1:40 pm
(April 3, 2018 at 1:27 pm)Coveny Wrote: (April 3, 2018 at 1:20 pm)Chad32 Wrote: We've been playing god ever since we started using electricity to power our homes, if not even earlier than that. I don't see anything unethical about it, as long as we aren't murdering people or stealing parts from them.
Of course part of this is stem cell research, and some people think killing a zygote/fetus should count as murder, but that's a debate I don't feel like getting into.
It's about using genetic engineering to killing off an entire species of animals (in this case mosquitoes), don't you think that's a bit different than using a tool like electricity?
I didn't really read it to know it's about killing mosquitos, but since they're vectors for malaria and who knows what else, I say it's not unethical to get rid of them. I'm sure the world will produce something as equally horrible in the sbcense of this evil.
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 1:52 pm
Someone has to play "god".
The current incarnation of the supreme being appears to be incompetent.
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 2:50 pm
(April 3, 2018 at 1:27 pm)Coveny Wrote: It's about using genetic engineering to killing off an entire species of animals (in this case mosquitoes), don't you think that's a bit different than using a tool like electricity?
Not really. We used to spray ddt in an attempt to achieve the same..even if it was only local/regional. Our use of that tool informs our reservations with this one..but the tools don't appear to have the same risks. Personally, I think we should keep the skeeters..but I don't think we have any ethical or moral obligation towards them.
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RE: Gene drives are we playing god?
April 3, 2018 at 5:07 pm
I suppose rather than genetics we could put out a bounty and hunt them into extinction.
But then some dick would just start breeding them for the money.
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