[extropy-chat] circumcision

[Brian Lee]

I think it's a bit ridiculous to not perform the procedure because an infant 
can't give consent. Will you wait until he's old enough to consent to 
vaccinations? Or blood transfusions? Or to donate a kidney to a dying twin? 
Parents are stewards of children and able and responsible to make important 
decisions.

Would you make the decision to alter a baby's genes to improve intelligence, 
or to improve muscle growth or to improve their immune system if it involved 
a few minutes of pain that will not be remember after an hour?

As for the trauma. At that age, the act of circumcision is not remembered 
and there are no credible studies to suggest that this pain affects the 
child. Think about it, 8 days ago the baby was pushed out of its mother 
which is much more painful than circumcision.

BAL

>From: "spike" <spike66 at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
>To: "'ExI chat list'" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
>Subject: RE: [extropy-chat] circumcision
>Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 20:21:47 -0800
>
>
> > bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Acy Stapp
>...
> > Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] circumcision
> >
> > I can't believe that otherwise well-informed adults are seriously
> > considering circumcision as a valid option for a child. Clearly
> > children are unable to give informed consent for a medical procedure...
>
>
>Thanks Acy, this is close to my own thinking.  Number 2
>on the extropian principles is self transformation, and
>number 6 is self direction.  My notion is that this kind
>of decision should be left to the owner.
>
> >From this group I am surprised no one suggested that
>stem cell technology may soon make the procedure
>reversible.  Had this been suggested, I would have
>morphed toward a discussion of possible emotional
>impact from what must be nearly unimaginable agony
>at the age of 8 days.
>
>Thanks to all who posted, both onlist and off.  I
>intend to make a stand on this.  He will go natural
>unless and until he decides otherwise.
>
>spike
>
>
>
>
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