Re: BIOTECH: Cloning: Buyer Beware

From: Russell Blackford (rblackford@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Jul 12 2001 - 01:50:39 MDT


Robert J. Bradbury said

>The bottom line re: cloning with current technology is that you
>may not get what you expected.

Yeah, the evidence for this seems to be mounting.

Cloned organs may fail prematurely
>and whole body clones may not provide a full lifespan. Until the
>full impact of epigenetic imprinting is understood, lobbying for
>"real" availability of cloned organs or bodies seems premature.

But answering the arguments of the anti-cloners is *not* premature. If they
have their way, even the research that might lead to safer cloning
technology will be banned.

Moreover, if their anti-(classical-)liberal reasoning is applied in this
case it provides a precedent for all the other upcoming cases - including
life extension technologies. We are at a point of critical need to defend
the classical liberal conception of society which is under fierce assault
from several political quarters, both "Right" and "Left".

Russell

==========================================
Russell Blackford
writer philosopher lawyer transhumanist
Active Member: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Member: Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA)

rblackford@hotmail.com

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