Downright creepifying - Chimeras

POSTED BY: Connorflynn
UPDATED: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 18:35
VIEWED: 7205
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SOUPCATCHER

Tuesday, February 1, 2005 3:29 AM

First off, article from original post, definitely creepifying.

In reading your post, danfan, I was reminded of one of the rationales for slavery - that the black race was sub-human and therefore should be treated no differently than animals. Or the justification for some of the genocides that we humans have engaged in where the victims were thought of as soulless, and therefore less than human. So I guess what I'm saying is that in our very recent history we've denied humanity to members of our own species in order to either exterminate or exploit them. I would expect us to act no differently to chimeras.

Now to wander off on a tangent... I'm very concerned about the secret research that is most probably being conducted as we speak. For every group like the Raelians (who are up front about their attempts to clone humans - and have the financial backing and scientific expertise to take a decent stab at the problem) I'm sure there are hundreds of other groups working toward similar goals in silence. We'll probably never know until there is a fait accompli (or a big screw up - Resident Evil anyone?).

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"What sort of raw meat do you people feed your cruiser captains, Hamish?" - Queen Elizabeth III of Manticore

CONNORFLYNN

Tuesday, February 1, 2005 1:35 PM

Hehe.. I'm also reminded of the GELFs (Genetically Engineered Life Forms) from Seaquest? I believe.

The government has been working on these types of projects for decades. They usually spend the most money and have the largest percentage of brilliant scientists working in these programs. I was thinking of something along the lines of an episode from the old "X-Files"..believe it was called "Eve-8" that supposedly was based on a true X-file from the early 50's.

As for animals not having emotion, /boggle. We have our dog on anti-depressants because he suffers from severe seperation anxiety disorder and will actually hurt himself if we leave him alone for longer then 15 minutes and he's the friendliest sweetest muttley I've ever met LOL.

DANFAN

Tuesday, February 1, 2005 6:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SoupCatcher:
So I guess what I'm saying is that in our very recent history we've denied humanity to members of our own species in order to either exterminate or exploit them. I would expect us to act no differently to chimeras.

I'd have to agree... our record is all too often shameful. It seems we only occasionally rise to our own human potential. I too fear that we would treat animals imbued with human characteristics as nothing more than animals. However, we might succeed in making them sufficiently intelligent to be AWARE of the injustice of that treatment. I don't want that to be my generation's legacy. Hence my desire for caution in this field.

In my opinion, if scientists are still engaging in a vigorous debate over whether animals can feel emotion, we aren't ready to consider the implications of animals that feel human.

BARNSTORMER

Tuesday, February 1, 2005 10:49 PM

Yes your right, it was titled Cats Cradle. Well, I suppose I should have looked up the correct title instead of relying on my memories of 35+ years ago.

Damn, I hate getting old....

Thanks for the correction.

Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer

MOHRSTOUTBEARD

Wednesday, February 2, 2005 6:24 AM

I hope Steven Segal or Jean-Claude Van Damme are available to kick-box these chimeras into submission when they inevitably escape and wreak havoc on the populous.

"You've just gotta go ahead and change the captain of your brainship, because he's drunk at the wheel."

CYBERSNARK

Wednesday, February 2, 2005 3:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by danfan:
For those who hold that animals don't have emotions, they say that what appears to be emotion in the higher mammals is really "instinctive behavioral programming" that confers some survival advantage. The animals are really just complex organic automatons.

I have encountered the same thing argued about humans --and about potential AIs. Especially when talking to "scientists" about things like love, fear, hope, and family.

Are we more than our programming?

Quote:
I seek to improve myself. The B4 does not.

--Data, St: Nemesis

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We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

PIRATEJENNY

Monday, February 14, 2005 10:44 PM

Resident Evil anyone

I'm sure they are and have been doing all kinds of stuff

JAZAF

Thursday, February 17, 2005 6:01 AM

When I read the Article on Chimeras, I could hardly believe that it actually happened. These people are stepping onto dangerous ground and tampering in things that I doubt should be bothered. As beneficial as the Chimeras may be there is always a potenial for abuse. There is no telling how damaging such ....theoretical ideas can be if brought into reality.

I fear the road that the world is starting to take will eventually, no inevitably bring chaos.

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Do you know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with till you
understand who's in rutting command here.

FINN MAC CUMHAL

Thursday, February 17, 2005 4:52 PM

The idea of this being used to develop super-human hybrids is one that would have made the Dark Angel people jump for joy, back in the day.

But I’ve always said that it is unlikely that a Western government would ever create or attempt to create such things. Highly democratic and liberal governments are subject to the ranting of special interest groups, “civil rights” groups, to say nothing of the ranting of Congress and the Courts. I just don’t see how the government could pull this off. Now a less open government, such as China or Russia, well, there might be something there.

Although I’ve also said that I’m not very sure that such genetic “enhancements,” to the extent that one might reasonably expect them to be applied, would be very useful in a combat arena. The ability to field super-strong warriors is something that might have been useful 800 years ago, but today, less so.

As far as the mice are concerned, we already know that this has been done. It’s not talked about much. It is a secret. Have none of you heard of NIMH, the National Institute for Mental Health!

“We can no longer live as rats. We know too much.”

DTUCK

Thursday, February 17, 2005 10:54 PM

Yarr... Seeing this subject torn to bits by the extremists on both sides would be too terrible for words.

"It would be a human rights issue... but they're not human." - '100% Human' Groups in Support of Chimeras (for medical/experimental purposes)

"Humans shouldn't have to pollute their gene pool with animal DNA, and no animal should have Human DNA." - '100% Human' Groups not in Support of Chimeras (for any reason)

"If even a smidgen of their genetic makeup is human, they should be treated like humans." - Chimera-Rights Supporters

While there would undoubtedly be thousands upon thousands of variants concerning the Rights of Chimeras, those would be some of the most basic. Support for medical reasons, absolutely not, and 'treat them as though they were 100% human'.

I'm on the fence with the issue. I'm just gonna cross that bridge when we come to it.

Edited to say: I wouldn't mind gettin' my eyes upgraded though... *squints to see screen*
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The best way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

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