Re: Clones

Damien Broderick (damien@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au)
Fri, 16 Jan 1998 16:35:52 +0000


Hi John

At 09:12 PM 1/15/98 -0800, you wrote:

>I sent this to Time Magazine:
>===============================================================
>
>Charles Krauthammer recommends that scientists who save lives and relieve
>human suffering be put to death. After removing his rhetoric

Sorry, usually I greatly enjoy your posts and agree with what you have to
say, but in this case I would counsel against your own rhetorical
technique. I'd prefer to see a short, reasoned rebuttal. As it is, all
you're saying is `yah yah, you're another!' Besides, I think it needs to
be acknowledged that most people *will* be revolted by the prospect of
harvesting decorticate cloned bodies (even more than they would if they let
themselves think about harvesting machine-sustained cadavers right now).
Mockery of the kind you use here only works, I suspect, when one taps into
the audience's own suppressed agreement with one's case. Here, your
response is too easily dismissed as `just another kook, Jim'. IMHO.

Regards, Damien