[extropy-chat] clinical trials for stem cell spinal cord injury

[Darthmencken at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/8/2006 3:43:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
jrd1415 at gmail.com writes:

In some  ways it's old news, but it's good news, hopeful news, extropic  news.

One thing, if and when it proves successful, the whole Luddite  stem
cell obstructionism is going to suffer a crushing  blow.
    Doubt they'll be finished by it anytime soon,  though. Ludds honestly 
don't care if something works or not. They're just  worried that all the 
psychological coping mechanisms developed to deal with  Human mortality, relentlessly 
hammered into everyone's minds since childhood,  will end up becoming useless 
after all. At the root of their concerns is seeing  all that effort 
(widespread public psychological conditioning to accept what  *was once* inevitable) 
wind up wasted.
    That story about the "Dragon Tyrant" from Nick  Bostrom's personal site, 
where a huge bureaucracy develops to service the  dragon, and Human dignity is 
conceived in terms of going willingly to be  devoured when one's time comes, 
pretty much sums it up. And sadly, most current  governments aren't even as 
reasonable ultimately as the king in that story. We  *really* need more elected 
officials with a (explicitly or otherwise)  transhumanist bent. I understand 
Natasha once held public office, as a  "transhumanist" I believe :-)

That's good,
hopeful, and extropic as well.

Human Tests of Embryonic  Stem Cell Treatments Planned

A California biotech company expects to  begin trials of a treatment
for spinal cord injuries next  year.


http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17256&ch=biotech&sc=&pg=1
    Thanx.



-- 
Best, Jeff Davis


Darth Mencken
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