From: rhinoceros (rhinoceros@freemail.gr)
Date: Tue May 28 2002 - 22:15:09 MDT
[michelle]
I'm mainly about striving for that "higher purpose" and working toward a spiritual plain higher than that on which we normally operate.
[rhinoceros]
I can understand a "higher purpose", at least as something that each one of us can set for oneself, but... what is a higher spiritual plain?
[michelle]
because there's certainly no stopping scientific advancement, and I suppose no reason to try.
[rhinoceros]
There are many things that we can do but we choose not to.
[michelle]
But the other side of the article's implication is that if we allow neuro-tinkering, we ought to allow gene-tinkering, no double standard!
[rhinoceros]
One difference that I can think of is that neuro-tinkering concerns the person who chooses (or is persuaded or compelled) to do it, while gene-tinkering means engineering the future people who will be born (except if we are just talking about transplant tissue).
[michelle]
If we say "yes, drugs are good and useful and a responsible human should have every right to access them", then we must say the same about genetic assistance, as well. Any objections here?
That's what I found most interesting about the article - the idea that arguments must be applied evenly. Does that seem valid? Does anyone here think one is more dangerous than the other?
[rhinoceros]
Why? There can be independent arguments for or against drugs and genetic assistance. And it is not just a matter of danger. For example, I have noticed a very common trick in discussions about drugs: They start by refering to psychedelic drags as mind enhancers (this is open to debate too), and then they artfully switch to drugs in general, including the addictive ones. But if people have heroine addicted kids to support, it is reasonable to expect them to react to any legalization.
---- This message was posted by rhinoceros to the Virus 2002 board on Church of Virus BBS. <http://virus.lucifer.com/bbs/index.php?board=51;action=display;threadid=25533>
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