"Eliezer S. Yudkowsky" wrote:
> > A human-animal hybrid, particularly one that would not be implanted in a
> > uterus and could not become a child, could provide a neat solution to the
> > ethical problems some Americans have with human embryo research...
>
> Okay, now this one bothers even me. I don't have any problem with using
> human embryos as throwaways; as far as I'm concerned they're ethically
> equivalent to rocks as long as no neurons have formed. But I'd be
> really disturbed by letting neurons form in these embryos on the theory
> that they're not "really" human because they started out as cows. Human
> is as human thinks, and a "human" embryo is a matter of human DNA.
> These embryos aren't human because they don't have brains - not because
> they're hybrids.
>
> It's not the throwaway part that disturbs me. It's the idea that these
> transplanted genes are somehow "less" human. While I admire their
> judo-like self-cancellation of technophobic attitudes, I think they're
> promoting dangerous prejudices.
Lets all sing along....
"I am Gopherboy,
pondering reality
I am gopherboy,
who will buy my raspberries?"
> --
TANSTAAFL!!!
Michael S. Lorrey
Owner, Lorrey Systems
http://www.lorrey.com
ArtLocate.Com
http://www.artlocate.com
Director, Grafton County Fish & Game Assoc.
http://www.lorrey.com/gcfga/
Member, Extropy Institute
http://www.extropy.org
Member, National Rifle Association
http://www.nra.org
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."