From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Mon Jan 22 2001 - 13:00:40 MST
From: Max More <max@maxmore.com>
>>At 10:12 AM 1/22/01, Hal wrote:
>>I don't believe George Will or any other conservatives are going
>>to succeed in persuading parents to have disease-ridden children.
>>Few parents will want to endure the heartbreak of watching their
>>child suffer.
>Yes, and I found it interesting to read over the weekend about
>politicians' views on stem cell research. The story (I think on
>MSNBC) revealed that several prominent congresscritters, while
>staunchly opposed to abortion, nevertheless had publicly come out
>in favor of stem cell research. This despite the use of embryonic
>cells. It seems that in each case they had a relative who could
>benefit from such research.
>Religious opposition is certainly a problem, but when lives are at
>stake or terrible suffering can be avoided, religions usually
>adapt or else believers selectively re-write their views.
>Christian opposition to anaesthesia for women in childbirth didn't
>last all that long...
Being an usual admirer of George Will's writing I was disappointed
to read this, but I'm going to guess he did this mostly on the
grounds of his religious convictions, and not because he is one of
those who would rather play the lottery than invest.
However I should note that I don't see any particular advantage to
cloning humans. Working with the technology sure, but other than
that it would seem to be more an act of an overactive ego. I don't
see many of us as a successful enough phenotype to merit it.
Deliberate cloning is low breed stuff, or to put it in an easily
spreadable meme:
"cloning is for livestock."
Although I used to joke that once cloning came along we wouldn't
need POSTERS of our favorite starlets anymore... ;)
Genetic enhancement and/or genetic correction are a vastly
different thing however, and I was very surprised to see George
lump them together.
Maybe he does have a touch of lotto fever....
Brian
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