The Dangers and Morality of Science

by Big Dog 43 Replies latest social current

  • Big Dog
    Big Dog

    This was a great thread and the folks are right, you can't put the genie back in the bottle, we can't unknow what we know and the advancement of science is not going to stop. I guess its after watching some old sci fi movies where after they finally kill whatever it was that escaped from the lab somebody looks at the camera and says "there are some places and some things that man is not ment to go and know" or something to that effect that one can get thinking about the dangers of science, or excuse me, its applications by people.

    It really is all about people, which as a side comment is why I think gun control is stupid, but anyway it is just scary with nuclear weapons, bio warfare agents, and (dare I say it) God knows what else out there lying around.

    I guess its interesting, you had the Godless commies, and the right wing christians with nukes for the last 60 years and doomsday never came. I just worry for my children with the weapons of mass destruction available and obviously those who don't have a high regard for human life running around, well, can you understand why I might sometimes wish for a little less scientifically advanced age? But as a species I hope we continue to grow and we make it without blowing ourselves up, or being wiped out by some bio warfare plauge.

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    We can apply ethics around what to study. I don't think we should go beyond curing genetic diseases when it comes to gene manipulation of human beings. I don't want to be able to breathe underwater for instance, or find out how a person turns out if you double their brain-case. BUT, if we could apply gene therapy in the womb and cure, say, Cystic Fibrosis, I'm all for it!

  • Big Dog
    Big Dog

    JGNAT,

    I don't know, being able to breath under water might be kind of cool, but seriously, your examples are exactly the kinds of stuff I worry about, people monkeying around with humans or animals for that matter on a genetic level and coming mup with some really nasty outcomes. Goes back to that, yeah we can do it, but should we do it issue that is so worriesome to me.

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    Good news, the scientists worry about this too. There are issues mentioned on the site below that I hadn't even condidered. For instance should insurers have access to your genetic code, and determine your insurance rate based on your genetics alone (i.e. prediliction for alcoholism)?

    http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/elsi.shtml

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