"What will change everything?"

[Slytovhand]

I found this on another forum, but I've since found the original...

Blurring the Human/animal boundary (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2009/jan/02/richard-dawkins-chimpanzee-hybrid)

Basically about ethics and the advances of science (and the title piece should make the rest obvious!)

Thoughts??

[Jadedcarguy]

Dawkins is right, any one of those events would change everything. And as he also said, our ethics are likely to prevent all but the first example.

[PepperElf]

Blurring the Human/animal boundary
my mind went into the gutter when i first read that phrase

[crashhelmet]

I've wondered about this. While the ethics of it would probably derive from a religious nature, what would the benefits be? Would the organs be more transferable? At the same time, would we be de-evolutionizing the species?

You know some scientist is going to go Dr. Moreau out there and try this. I jus thope he listens to Loverboy :p

CH

[joe hx]

Some have speculated for awhile that human/chimp hybrids can exist. See humanzee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanzee).

[jackfaire]

de-evolutionizing the species?

Actually Stephen Baxter has pointed out that even what we term as Deevolution (the loss of intelligence most commonly) would still be evolution as we would be adapting to our environment right now intelligence of our level fits our environment a different environment would perhaps need less intelligence.

[Hyena Dandy]

I've wondered about this. While the ethics of it would probably derive from a religious nature, what would the benefits be? Would the organs be more transferable? At the same time, would we be de-evolutionizing the species?


Benefits? Well, they could remake avatar with live actors.

But seriously, I'm fine with people thinking about it and all that, but I don't believe anyone who says "We're too ethical to do that."

Sure, you're too ethical. But there's plenty of people who aren't that ethical. And there's plenty who are scientists. And eventually, that'll overlap. I'm not saying don't look into it and go as far as is alright. But don't say NOBODY will go farther.

[draggar]

I've wondered about this. While the ethics of it would probably derive from a religious nature, what would the benefits be? Would the organs be more transferable? At the same time, would we be de-evolutionizing the species?

I agree - what are the benefits other than curiosity?

You know some scientist is going to go Dr. Moreau out there and try this. I jus thope he listens to Loverboy :pCH

What, he's just working for the weekend? :)

[XiaoTortuga]

I think groups that believe in human superiority due to religious beliefs (primarily) would have their worlds rocked by this.

But regardless of a soul or consciousness, I think our physical beings are not really different than other animals.

Benefit? I have no idea. But then again, I think a lot of science is messing around with something new to see if there is something you can learn from it.

Ethical? I would say largely not. But my ethics are not those of others and I'd wager LOTS of scientists are working in this general area.