From: Brian L. Fritz (bfritz@shol.com)
Date: Fri Nov 21 1997 - 04:45:35 MST
> Understood. I actually think crossbreeding would not help much. It would
> be too
> random/chaotic. I doubt it would produce viable much less fertile
> offspring. The
> only reason I went on with this was to clear up matters in my own head. I do
> think, though, that uplifting chimps by other methods might prove helpful in
> augmenting humans. Also, I suspect, a lot of the developmental patterns are
> similar between apes and humans, such that insertion of genetic sequences
> might have similar effects in both.
>
> Daniel Ust
So it seems that crossbreeding would not be an appropriate form of
uplifting, and possibly not a form of uplifting at all.
Thanks for an interesting debate on this topic. This was the kind of
discussion that I was hoping for when I posted the crossbreeding
question.
I think it's important for researchers to hash out sensitive questions
before they become issues in the media and general public. I expect a
strong public backlash against genetic research once we begin altering
existing species in a significant way. Advocates of such research need
to be prepared for this. If we cannot quell negative public opinion
with reasonable arguments as to what is ethical and unethical then I
fear that public pressure will lead to over restrictive government
regulation of reaserch.
Brian L. Fritz
bfritz@shol.com
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