Precisely, there are ethical standards in place but they are not the purview of the pure researcher. You can't rule on the ethics of your own research, it is an external system. All data has value but the morality of the value doesn't enter the actual research arena.
i realize information is neutral, it's never good or bad, it just is what it is. for the purposes of this conversation, information doesn't even exist if we aren't here to interpret it (yes, i know the universe existed without us for a long time, and will for a long time after we're gone, and that information always has and always will exist. i'm speaking withing the framework of how it effects humans in general.) once human beings become aware of information, they will start to imagine how to use it. some of them are good, ethical people with a strong sense of right and wrong. some of them aren't. once information exists, (as far as we are concerned) it is constantly and ceaselessly effecting people. maybe this whole argument was a misunderstanding over semantics......as far as i can see, information is an inert thing, but the people who discover information are anything but inert, some are good people, some are bad people, and some are careless.....and there should be a strong moral and ethical code in place, to keep information from being misused, and abused.
There is a system in place. As Annie, Malt and I have pointed out, it applies to how we use what science tells us. Your previous unwillingness to grasp the distinction between what science teaches us and what we do with it (which equals technology plus policy) has been the beginning and end of our current disagreement.
Roger, I think it is semantics, look
Your kid sounds awesome. Make him gay.Two things - The Crisper-CAS9 discovery is one of the most awesome discoveries of my lifetime, and I just found out about it a couple of months ago. I also dig the soap opera around the two camps that want the credit for the discovery, very interesting. As soon as I understood the techniques, I thought, 'Gattaca', the major step of taking control of our own evolution. As awesome as it will be to give our offspring amazing advantages ('I'd like my kid to be a tall, black male with no tendency to obesity, any known genetic diseases, intelligent with a propensity for longevity.' No problem, sir, coming right up), and improve our own existing RNA/DNA, one could see endless potential for abuses (i.e. super soldiers, etc.). As pointed out here, any powerful scientific discovery will be both used and abused. The hope is that the gains will outweigh the losses, which I think is almost always the case.
The other thing is this rogue doc has the fortune to be named 'He'. Who the fuck is responsible for this abomination??? "He is!" 'Who?' "He! Right over there!" 'Who, him?' "No, He!" They could hide the doc for months while everyone plays Who's on First
Were you expecting someone younger?
Have to agree Roger!..bongs beat vapes..hands down..taste the herb and better on a big pipe.
