Scientists create synthetic life.

[Violet]

Of course, religious leaders are now claiming he is just playing God, despite the fact that these organisms could be created to provide a range of functionality beneficial to huminty, including creating biofuels and removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

Or could be created to provide a range of functionality harmful to humanity...

If all 'God' does is create life... then women have been 'God' since they were asexual self replicating beings... no 'playing' about it.

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Is there a link to an actual peer reviewed paper on this?

I'm more wondering why this is news, actually... doesn't 'news' imply 'new'? :S

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The difference is between "life" and "synthetic life", which I made sure to include in the title. They manufactured the DNA themselves, as stated, using a chemical synthesizer. They even went as far as to code English words into it...

Of course... synthetic life remains life. The 'purpose' and 'origin' change not the components of the machine.

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And before the xtians start going on about "playing god".

They wouldn't imagine it to be so if they are intelligent... I mean: what is 'God' if we can play him?

Just remember,"playing god" is what humans do best.

I'll go into theist mode... and question precisely how firstly: humans do it at all... and secondly: humans do it better than anything else.

After all, whenever god(in his infinite mercy) gives a child cancer etc

and science then cures it we have played gods game.

Cancer will cause death... what is a mortality's purpose if not to die? Curing cancer implies scientific progress... what is life's purpose if not to progress?

And played it much better since we have beaten him at it.

We've beaten him at what now? :S A game?



The only way to beat him is if he wants to be beaten... but then: have you really beaten him at all?