Tampering With The D.N.A.

[PunkMaister]

Originally Posted by Aihwa

Considering we're already such a kind and caring species that fight among ourselves regularly, I don't see an issue there.

So the answer for you is to create more than one sentient species so they all fight each other to extinction? Great plan...

[Spock]

Originally Posted by PunkMaister

So the answer for you is to create more than one sentient species so they all fight each other to extinction? Great plan...

No... the more successful species will always emerge, it's called Gause's competitive exclusion principle.

[PunkMaister]

Originally Posted by Spock

No... the more successful species will always emerge, it's called Gause's competitive exclusion principle.

That applies to Animals not 2 or more warring sentient species fighting for dominance over a planet with WMDs and all sort of nasty weapons out-there.

Not too mention there is untold danger in tampering with DNA like that. In the long run it could very well spell the demise of our species as a whole as well. This has been explored in Science fiction too many times. In fact there is a really good Outer Limits episode just about this scenario. A group of university students and a professor discover a ship that has been buried for millions of years, get inside it and get trapped in it and at the end they find the ship is from the future, a future in which intense genetic engineering and modification led to humanity's extinction so they made that ship to bring back a group of humans and use their DNA to kick-start humanity once more.

[Isard]

Originally Posted by PunkMaister

That applies to Animals not 2 or more warring sentient species fighting for dominance over a planet with WMDs and all sort of nasty weapons out-there.

Currently we do the exact same thing over religion, politics, and geographical location. You still haven't given a convincing reason why somebody shouldn't be able to alter their body if they want too.

[PunkMaister]

Originally Posted by Aihwa

Currently we do the exact same thing over religion, politics, and geographical location. You still haven't given a convincing reason why somebody shouldn't be able to alter their body if they want too.

Actually I have there is an inherent danger of messing with DNA which could lead to humanity's demise even more surely than environmental collapse could.

[Isard]

Originally Posted by PunkMaister

Actually I have there is an inherent danger of messing with DNA which could lead to humanity's demise even more surely than environmental collapse could.

So in order to save the whole, you limit individual freedoms. Not exactly sounding like a free nation there.

[Spock]

Originally Posted by PunkMaister

That applies to Animals not 2 or more warring sentient species fighting for dominance over a planet with WMDs and all sort of nasty weapons out-there.

It applies to all living organisms. You persist in being ignorant don't you?

Originally Posted by PunkMaister

Not too mention there is untold danger in tampering with DNA like that. In the long run it could very well spell the demise of our species as a whole as well. This has been explored in Science fiction too many times. In fact there is a really good Outer Limits episode just about this scenario. A group of university students and a professor discover a ship that has been buried for millions of years, get inside it and get trapped in it and at the end they find the ship is from the future, a future in which intense genetic engineering and modification led to humanity's extinction so they made that ship to bring back a group of humans and use their DNA to kick-start humanity once more.

Because scare mongerers like the catholic church told you? Oh what.... your now using science fiction as a basis for your argument. Get off the grass champion if your going to argue like that.

Originally Posted by PunkMaister

Actually I have there is an inherent danger of messing with DNA which could lead to humanity's demise even more surely than environmental collapse could.

Sais the good professor and his university students in an outer limits episode. You've got to be kidding me.

[Grif]

Originally Posted by Tsyal Makto

This.



That flower looks incredible! What's holding up production of those things?

Interesting times ahead for science.

Oh House, your so crazy.

[Human No More]

Originally Posted by Spock

It applies to all living organisms. You persist in being ignorant don't you?



Because scare mongerers like the catholic church told you? Oh what.... your now using science fiction as a basis for your argument. Get off the grass champion if your going to argue like that.



Sais the good professor and his university students in an outer limits episode. You've got to be kidding me.

I agree with Spock here... There's no sudden unexplainable way that modifying DNA will suddenly destroy all life, because that's impossible.

[Fighter-of-Wars]

Originally Posted by HiddenObserver

On a side note, if your interested in the topic of genetics I do recommend renting the movie Gattica. It how this technology can affect people that don't have access to it!

That's a great movie.

All of this stuff is neat, but it won't be available to us, not with any reasonable price tag anyways, and even then, I dunno if I would want it, I think the best way to make ourselves better is to do it naturally. If you want stronger bones, drink more milk, be more active and your bones will get stronger. I'm not saying that you can jump off a 10 story building and not break a leg but you will be able to do many things within reason. Just watch what those people who practice Parkour and Free-running do.

I can see tampering with DNA to worm out diseases and genetic problems and such like mental illnesses, cancer, and other problems and I think that would be good, but I think that is as far as it should go-IMHO.

[HiddenObserver]

Originally Posted by Fighter-of-Wars

All of this stuff is neat, but it won't be available to us, not with any reasonable price tag anyways,

I agree with you there and apart from cost, here's why...

It is imposable to modify something after cell division has began because the persons immune system will detect the modified cells as a foreign organism and attack them, causing organ rejection. unless they are happy to spend the rest of there lives on immune system suppressants. Meaning this technology will not be available to our generation!

Originally Posted by Fighter-of-Wars

I can see tampering with DNA to worm out diseases and genetic problems and such like mental illnesses, cancer, and other problems and I think that would be good, but I think that is as far as it should go-IMHO.

Giving a mention to two other uses for this technology stated in previous posts

Using it to create a super-organism, while it will be possible in the future, is quite amoral, dangerous and not to mention costly and splicing an unborn child to create a different race would only turn a healthy human baby into a walking freakshow that has a greatly reduced chance of survival from both there own genetics and other humans.