I'm thinking there's a chance this could get ugly, like someone crossing a Rottweiler with yogurt
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472861,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472861,00.html
Amateurs Try Genetic Engineering at Home
- Thread starter John Picard
- Start date
Finally, we are one step to the super serious Man Bear Pig!
It would suck for someone to be killed during a freak meat loaf experiment.
When cooleddie74 gets his hands on this you'll all be sorry.
This is the ultimate conspiracy of Google- creating mad scientists everywhere!
Honestly, I think Genetic-Engineering (other than selective breeding) should only be done by professionals who actually know what they're doing.
I personally think this should be outlawed.
This could result in disaster. Someone could create some ultra deadly disease by accident, or the government could capitalize on the fear of such an event happening and use it as an excuse to monitor all internet activity, which would pretty much end privacy as we know it.
Ice Queen
That is entirely a possibility.
It is also a possibility that the fear produced by such a potential possibility could be used by the government to justify monitoring all internet transmissions.
"Spiderpig, Spiderpig,
does whatever a Spiderpig does,
does he swing, from a web, no he can't, he's a pig,
Loook ooouut! He's a Spider-Pig!"
-Homer Simpson "The Simpsons Movie"
CuttingEdge100
I personally think this should be outlawed.
This could result in disaster. Someone could create some ultra deadly disease by accident, or the government could capitalize on the fear of such an event happening and use it as an excuse to monitor all internet activity, which would pretty much end privacy as we know it.
Ice Queen
That is entirely a possibility.
It is also a possibility that the fear produced by such a potential possibility could be used by the government to justify monitoring all internet transmissions.
"Spiderpig, Spiderpig,
does whatever a Spiderpig does,
does he swing, from a web, no he can't, he's a pig,
Loook ooouut! He's a Spider-Pig!"
-Homer Simpson "The Simpsons Movie"
CuttingEdge100
Last edited:
But what if there is some fanatic who hates some particular nation, and decides to engineer a deadly virus and let it loose. Say, starting from something as infectious as the common cold, and introducing the gene sequence that encodes for the nerve toxin secreted by black widow spiders.
Should people be free to play around with genetic engineering, and be able to engineer something as genocidal as that?
In the laboratory, this genetic engineering is performed in a strongly controlled environment, where many precautions are taken to ensure that nothing can escape. All waste is incinerated, it isn't just thrown out the back door.
Unlike building a nuclear weapon, or even dynamite, the raw ingredients for biological weapons are all around us (germs are everywhere), and could be engineered almost in seclusion, so the engineer would be untraceable.
It would be almost impossible to safeguard humanity against such a threat without introducing the Orwellian system.
At some point we will have to weigh up where the balancing point is between freedom and safety.
How do you know that there already aren't fanatics who detest specific nations and want to engineer a deadly virus with the intent of obliterating said nations?
In any effect, I highly doubt that any individual would try developing something as deadly in their basement without first and foremost protecting themselves and the people who are in imminent vicinity (unless they are the target).
That requires precautionary measures and purchasing various supplies that might even rouse suspicion from others. In the end, the ultimate result of the said experiment could meet various difficulties in terms of actual delivery and release to the nation they detest.
An Orwellian system or infringing on people's privacy is not really needed.
Going to such extremes for the purpose of 'safety' is just an easy way out for the government to control the people even further (only this time in an open capacity).
And besides, how do you know that various governments aren't already using a similar premise to develop biological weapons for potential use in warfare (right in their own 'safe' laboratories with actual 'experts' in the field)?
It's not like the government would hesitate in utilizing such an opportunity for their own self interest.
The possibilities are endless, and while I do acknowledge the possible danger in individuals doing this by themselves (although the risk is limited if they take necessary precautionary measures), ultimately, it also might end up being beneficial.
Any sensible individual that does this would try doing such experimentation in genetic engineering would most likely undertake precautionary measures to avoid a potential catastrophe.
How do you know the government isn't already using the ISP's to spy on your activities?
The US went through a case of the government tapping in to people's private conversations through telephone systems ... all in the name of 'protection from terrorism'.
In any effect, I highly doubt that any individual would try developing something as deadly in their basement without first and foremost protecting themselves and the people who are in imminent vicinity (unless they are the target).
That requires precautionary measures and purchasing various supplies that might even rouse suspicion from others. In the end, the ultimate result of the said experiment could meet various difficulties in terms of actual delivery and release to the nation they detest.
An Orwellian system or infringing on people's privacy is not really needed.
Going to such extremes for the purpose of 'safety' is just an easy way out for the government to control the people even further (only this time in an open capacity).
And besides, how do you know that various governments aren't already using a similar premise to develop biological weapons for potential use in warfare (right in their own 'safe' laboratories with actual 'experts' in the field)?
It's not like the government would hesitate in utilizing such an opportunity for their own self interest.
The possibilities are endless, and while I do acknowledge the possible danger in individuals doing this by themselves (although the risk is limited if they take necessary precautionary measures), ultimately, it also might end up being beneficial.
Any sensible individual that does this would try doing such experimentation in genetic engineering would most likely undertake precautionary measures to avoid a potential catastrophe.
How do you know the government isn't already using the ISP's to spy on your activities?
The US went through a case of the government tapping in to people's private conversations through telephone systems ... all in the name of 'protection from terrorism'.
Deks,
People don't have the right to do just anything they want. There are a lot of things people aren't allowed to do.
In my opinion a person should not be allowed to perform genetic engineering experiments unless they have formal training and are qualified to perform them (and that the experiments are ethical).
You can't practice medicine without a liscence, so why should a person be able to perform genetic engineering without proper qualifications? I mean for most purposes Genetic Engineering can be WAY more dangerous than practicing medicine without a liscence.
That's correct, but if the government can persuade enough people that it is necessary, they'll do it.
Hell, if they can do it without us finding out, they'll probably do it anyway as they have been lately...
Jadzia,
Which is something I completely and totally oppose. In an era like ours if such a system evolved into being, it would be impossible to stop -- people could never become free again.
The problem is that given the choice, the government will almost always err on the side of safety, which will mean Big-Brother the likes we've never seen.
CuttingEdge
People don't have the right to do just anything they want. There are a lot of things people aren't allowed to do.
In my opinion a person should not be allowed to perform genetic engineering experiments unless they have formal training and are qualified to perform them (and that the experiments are ethical).
You can't practice medicine without a liscence, so why should a person be able to perform genetic engineering without proper qualifications? I mean for most purposes Genetic Engineering can be WAY more dangerous than practicing medicine without a liscence.
That's correct, but if the government can persuade enough people that it is necessary, they'll do it.
Hell, if they can do it without us finding out, they'll probably do it anyway as they have been lately...
Jadzia,
Which is something I completely and totally oppose. In an era like ours if such a system evolved into being, it would be impossible to stop -- people could never become free again.
The problem is that given the choice, the government will almost always err on the side of safety, which will mean Big-Brother the likes we've never seen.
CuttingEdge
Last edited:
All Seeing Eye
Admiral
Excuse me? 
all she needed was yoghurt and some Jellyfish DNA? and a few bits of cheapo lab equipment?
Don't talk fricking wet!
"oh I think i'll just squirt some of this DNA into the yoghurt, put it into a test tube, warm it up over a bunsen burner, spin it around on a machine for an hour or two and create a new lifeform."
I've just searched online, I can't find anywhere that sells DNA samples.
all she needed was yoghurt and some Jellyfish DNA? and a few bits of cheapo lab equipment? Don't talk fricking wet!
"oh I think i'll just squirt some of this DNA into the yoghurt, put it into a test tube, warm it up over a bunsen burner, spin it around on a machine for an hour or two and create a new lifeform."
I've just searched online, I can't find anywhere that sells DNA samples.
Tachyon Shield,
I wonder if this is all contrived to scare people into giving up all the rest of their freedoms out of fear from some nonexistant or highly unlikely threat.
But regardless there should be rules which make it hard to get DNA samples without proper qualifications...
CuttingEdge100
I wonder if this is all contrived to scare people into giving up all the rest of their freedoms out of fear from some nonexistant or highly unlikely threat.
But regardless there should be rules which make it hard to get DNA samples without proper qualifications...
CuttingEdge100
or.....creating a batch killer tomatoes!!!
CuttingEdge100
You are aware that there are people without professional training that often excel in areas other people are in as professionals, aren't you?
Granted, not always, but I've seen enough cases to know it happens on a regular basis.
Formal academic education/training isn't a guarantee that a person will be good in a specific field or have the necessary knowledge.
For example ... you have doctors who perform medical procedures and end up leaving their extremely dangerous (and expensive) equipment inside their patients after the surgery.
People were suing hospitals over such instances in US (such aren't exactly rare either and happened in well known hospitals).
In turn ... if a person is not a certified doctor, but has read about specific medical procedures, or has medical knowledge that can save another individual's life ... are you saying they should leave them be, to die?
Note: this would be in a situation where doctors aren't available or don't have enough time to reach the scene.
If they have the other person's consent to try and implement their knowledge, then what?
Again just wait until the 'professionals' arrive?
Now that's just idiotic and would be a wasted time that can be better implemented to try and save the person's life.
These home-made genetic engineering experiments will be limited either way, so I personally don't think there's any real threat to mankind.
And if anything, given the fact people who pursue these kinds of aspects as hobbies, they also have a tendency of being extra safe.
So again, I don't think there is any real threat.
Of course there is always a remote possibility that 'something' might happen ... but it's just that ... a remote possibility (which should be acknowledged yes, but not to the point of being amplified and used to push others into a false sense of fear).
You are aware that there are people without professional training that often excel in areas other people are in as professionals, aren't you?
Granted, not always, but I've seen enough cases to know it happens on a regular basis.
Formal academic education/training isn't a guarantee that a person will be good in a specific field or have the necessary knowledge.
For example ... you have doctors who perform medical procedures and end up leaving their extremely dangerous (and expensive) equipment inside their patients after the surgery.
People were suing hospitals over such instances in US (such aren't exactly rare either and happened in well known hospitals).
In turn ... if a person is not a certified doctor, but has read about specific medical procedures, or has medical knowledge that can save another individual's life ... are you saying they should leave them be, to die?
Note: this would be in a situation where doctors aren't available or don't have enough time to reach the scene.
If they have the other person's consent to try and implement their knowledge, then what?
Again just wait until the 'professionals' arrive?
Now that's just idiotic and would be a wasted time that can be better implemented to try and save the person's life.
These home-made genetic engineering experiments will be limited either way, so I personally don't think there's any real threat to mankind.
And if anything, given the fact people who pursue these kinds of aspects as hobbies, they also have a tendency of being extra safe.
So again, I don't think there is any real threat.
Of course there is always a remote possibility that 'something' might happen ... but it's just that ... a remote possibility (which should be acknowledged yes, but not to the point of being amplified and used to push others into a false sense of fear).
Except you can't just do that. Someone would need to have advanced knowledge of genetics to be able to engineer something like that if it's even possible... and by definition, such a person would not be an amateur.
CuttingEdge100, your argument doesn't really hold. The fundamental principle behind rights is that a person has the right to do whatever they want as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others. Someone splicing the bioluminescent jellyfish gene into some bacteria... something that I did in a high school science lab (of course the plasmid was prepackaged)... most certainly does not qualify. We're not talking about people creating advanced genetic weapons in their basements because the complexity of that sort of thing is beyond someone who doesn't have advanced training to begin with. And the dangerous pathogens are already controlled by default.
Sadly for me, my culture of engineered bacteria didn't grow. And then I got a nasty cold the next day. And even more sadly, it didn't leave me with the ability to glow in the dark
