[extropy-chat] Human Evolution

[Damien Broderick]

----- Original Message -----
From: <kevinfreels at hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 1:54 PM


> What I keep running into is that it would be unethical to try this
>Why, I have no idea. It seems to be a natural
> occurance that similar species create hybrids on occasion. What makes us
so
> special that we shouldn;t try this when we do it regularly with horses?

*You* might do it regularly with horses.

Signed: A Neigh-Sayer

>It might take hundreds or even thousands of attempts

But seriously... You really have NO IDEA why trying to create a diminished,
crippled human is unethical? Well then, suppose you whipped up a dandy
chemical in your garage that produced children with flippers instead of
hands and feet, along with other interesting effects. Let's call this
imaginary boon `thalidomide'. Would it be unethical to give it the old
college try on a few thousand foetuses? Hey, maybe they could swim like
seals: aquaman!

Damien Broderick