"Superhumans" and ethical concerns

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:09 am

Superheroes are on the brain lately

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13054181/

Is there a human right to be superhuman?
Special powers aren't just for comic-book characters, some ethicists argue

By Brian Alexander
MSNBC
Updated: 6:45 p.m. CT May 31, 2006

While America was rushing to see sharp metal blades jut from Wolverineâ€™s fists during the opening of the third "X-Men" movie last weekend, an academic conference was being held at Stanford University to discuss what might happen if people with special powers really existed.

The coincidence was too remarkable to ignore.

In the movie, the plot is driven by the governmentâ€™s attempt to â€œcureâ€

Tikker · Post by **Tikker** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:18 am

khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan

Thon · Post by **Thon** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:24 am

i think it's too late for any of us, but altering babies before they're born ala GATTACA might be availble within a few generations. if given the option to cure my child of a pretty bad genetic disorder before he/she was born, i'd take it. if they could make him super smart and strong as a gorilla, i'd check that too, as long as it didn't come with gorilla fur

we're finally unlocking the secrets of what we are. we are a species on the verge of being able to steer our own course through evolution, and i for one would like that technology researched thoroughly.

it's just a shame that people clinging to some ancient book of fairy tales are trying to stifle scientific progress here and in other fields

Tikker · Post by **Tikker** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:36 am

it's amazing the power of zealots

Zanchief · Post by **Zanchief** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:40 am

Tikker wrote:it's amazing the power of zealots

I always prefered Dragoons.

Narrock · Post by **Narrock** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:41 am

it's just a shame that people clinging to some ancient book of fairy tales are trying to stifle scientific progress here and in other fields

It's not a fairy tale, you retard.

Tikker · Post by **Tikker** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:42 am

Narrock wrote:
it's just a shame that people clinging to some ancient book of fairy tales are trying to stifle scientific progress here and in other fields

It's not a fairy tale, you retard.

prove it's real then

Narrock · Post by **Narrock** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:54 am

I don't need to prove anything. Anyway, there were over 500 witnesses to Jesus' miracles (documented), and in one case over 5000 witnesses (loaves & fishes).

Science comes with ethics and responsibility too. Some unethical scientists will stop at nothing in their laboratory experiments. Perhaps they should devote their energy and time into finding a cure for Cancer, Aids, Alzheimer's, and other debilitating illnesses before they waste time, money, and energy on creating some super humanoid sub-species devoid of any flaws.

Now, I am all for supporting scientific & medical breakthrough research, but not at the expense of ethics. And these ethics I speak of are not just "Christian" ethics, but "human" ethics.

Zanchief · Post by **Zanchief** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:58 am

Super humans might be the key to curing cancer.

Donnel · Post by **Donnel** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:59 am

Anyone remember who else has tried to make a super race in the past?

Narrock · Post by **Narrock** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:59 am

Zanchief wrote:Super humans might be the key to curing cancer.

Perhaps... but let's exhaust every other avenue before we head down that particular path.

Narrock · Post by **Narrock** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:01 am

Donnel wrote:Anyone remember who else has tried to make a super race in the past?

Yup, and the next one is in Iran.

Tikker · Post by **Tikker** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:01 am

Narrock wrote:I don't need to prove anything. Anyway, there were over 500 witnesses to Jesus' miracles (documented), and in one case over 5000 witnesses (loaves & fishes).

I also have a book that shows the miracles of Spider-man

both fairy tales are exactly as viable~

Zanchief · Post by **Zanchief** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:02 am

Donnel wrote:Anyone remember who else has tried to make a super race in the past?

It wasn't the idea that was bad, it was the way he did it.

Donnel · Post by **Donnel** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:04 am

FYI I'm not opposed to genetic research but I think it can easily cross a line that I don't agree with.

Cure cancer in the womb? A+

Selectively breed a child til it has all the characteristics you desire then throw out the other test tubes?

Thumbs down.

Narrock · Post by **Narrock** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:06 am

Tikker wrote:
Narrock wrote:I don't need to prove anything. Anyway, there were over 500 witnesses to Jesus' miracles (documented), and in one case over 5000 witnesses (loaves & fishes).

I also have a book that shows the miracles of Spider-man

both fairy tales are exactly as viable~

Ok, now you're comparing a comic book, who's sole intent was to provide entertainment, to a book that documented real-life events. There's quite a large difference between the two.

Donnel · Post by **Donnel** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:08 am

psst take this to the other thread will ya? this discussion is about genetics and ethics.

Post by **Gidan** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:09 am

Donnel wrote:FYI I'm not opposed to genetic research but I think it can easily cross a line that I don't agree with.

Cure cancer in the womb? A+

Selectively breed a child til it has all the characteristics you desire then throw out the other test tubes?

Thumbs down.

Whats the difference between changing genes in a way that cancer will not be possible and changing the genes so that the child is say smarter or stronger?

Donnel · Post by **Donnel** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:10 am

Well I'm not talking about that so much as I am my example.

Fertilizing a bunch of eggs, tweaking til you get it right and throw out the rest.

Yes, I am pro-life.

Zanchief · Post by **Zanchief** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:18 am

I hate the term pro-life, it insinuates that if you're not, you're pro-death.

I prefer "Whacked-out crazy Christian anti-abortionists".

Spazz · Post by **Spazz** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:19 am

Science comes with ethics and responsibility too. Some unethical scientists will stop at nothing in their laboratory experiments. Perhaps they should devote their energy and time into finding a cure for Cancer, Aids, Alzheimer's, and other debilitating illnesses before they waste time, money, and energy on creating some super humanoid sub-species devoid of any flaws.

Holy shit i agree with mindia

Donnel · Post by **Donnel** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:22 am

Zanchief wrote:I hate the term pro-life, it's insinuates hat if you're not, you're pro-death.

I prefer "Whacked-out crazy Christian anti-abortionists".

Fair enough

I was just trying to be positive today, I almost wrote

"I am anti-abortion"

Thon · Post by **Thon** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:22 am

here's my convoluted example; we are on a rickety, leaking, rudderless boat called humanity, on the sea of time. and evolution is the wind which propels us. we're at the mercy of all manner of outside influences, possibly on a course to our own destruction.

i for one would like us to be able to set our own destination, because Hawaii sure beats Antarctica.

Nicolaus Copernicus wrote:If there should chance to be any mathematicians who, ignorant in mathematics yet pretending to skill in that science, should dare, upon the authority of some passage of Scripture wrested to their purpose, to condemn and censure my hypothesis, I value them not, and scorn their inconsiderate judgement.

Post by **Lyion** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:37 am

Zanchief wrote:I hate the term pro-life, it insinuates that if you're not, you're pro-death.
.

Except thats true. You hate the truth.

I like the term baby killer, because it is so accurate.

/tangent on

Zanchief · Post by **Zanchief** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:43 am

lyion wrote:
Zanchief wrote:I hate the term pro-life, it insinuates that if you're not, you're pro-death.
.

Except thats true. You hate the truth.

I like the term baby killer, because it is so accurate.

/tangent on

I DO hate the truth. That's why I live in Canada wih all my communist news papers.