From: Hal Finney (hal@finney.org)
Date: Tue Apr 08 2003 - 22:00:30 MDT
There's an annoying review in this month's Wired magazine by David
Gelernter of a book called Enough by Bill McKibben, opposing the ideas
of genetic engineering, designer babies, and posthumans.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/play.html?pg=3
Gelernter is probably best known for being a victim of the Unabomber.
In what is perhaps a strange, virtual version of Stockholm Syndrome,
here he is advocating views which are very much in keeping with Ted
Kaczynski's view of the world. In this glowing review (he even refers
to the book's writing as "luminous"), Gelernter can't say enough about
the horrors of genetic technology used to improve health and intellectual
and physical vigor, nor call supporters of the technology too many names.
"Arrogance", "crime against humanity", "control lust", "naked nihilism".
Even James Watson, mockingly called "His Eminence", is given disparaging
treatment, his quote taken out of context. Gelernter concludes by
giving a vote of confidence to the Bible as a guide to the difficult
technological choices ahead.
It's sad to see the continued reliance on name calling and emotional
pandering among opponents to radical change. These kind of arguments give
us nothing to engage or address in terms of adding to the understanding of
these complex and difficult issues. They close down discussion instead
of opening possibilities for dialog. I hope that we can do better as
we go forward.
Hal
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