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<DIV>Decent review and I'm in general agreement with your points. Your
point number 5 is one I've been trying to use a lot recently. (Yeah,
others have made the point independently... You don't cite anyone in your
review, but I reckon you know your points are not original.) I think it's
one of the better knockdown arguments against the anti-biotech types. To
defeat it they would either have to come up with a more nuance position that
becomes less convincing or adopt a nonsensical position like being against all
change.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I was also unaware that Kass made those predictions about in vitro
fertilization. Predictions, in general, are one way to blast at
anyone. (I've made a number of predictions, too, that have come out wrong,
though they mostly centered on the next card in the deck.:) This reminds
me, too, that I was recently listening to an audio book where recombinant DNA
was mentioned in passed. Reading some of the debates from the 1970s,
predictions about recombinant DNA -- the then next big thing
in bioengineering -- creating super viruses or monsters were rife.
Well, where are they?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Anyhow, good work.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Oh, and regarding Kass, you might try to contact him or his aides
directly. My guess is he's not going to discuss matters with you unless
you have credentials or have some power somewhere (such as you're the head of
some think tank or college department).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Regards,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dan</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
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<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Mike15007@aol.com
href="mailto:Mike15007@aol.com">Mike15007@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org
href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, December 16, 2005 1:55
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [extropy-chat] Hello, and
Something I Wrote</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
<DIV>Hello everyone,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> I'm a newcomer on the Extropy Chat list, though
I've known about Extropy for some time and find I agree with most (not
necessarily quite all) of its principles. Well, I consider myself a
libertarian if nothing else, and every libertarian should recognize if one
finds two or more people who agree with each other on *everything,* there's
only one mind technically at work!</DIV>
<DIV> I am currently a member of the Orions Arm
worldbuilding list and have been for some 3 years now. I've been on other
lists, but OA has been my only constant. The underlying philosophy of OA,
though it is a sci-fi site, is much inspired by Extropy. I understand quite a
number of Extropians are, or have been, OA members as well.</DIV>
<DIV> Anyway, just to add to the on-topic discussions
on the list (I notice discussion on this list has wandered into an area all
too common on many other lists right now - No need to specify!), here's
something I wrote not too long ago for OA. It isn't specifically sci-fi, and
deals with real-world events, specifically opposition to transhuman
technologies by certain persons with a foot or two in the halls of power.
Enjoy. Comments and criticisms welcome</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> <A
href="http://www.orionsarm.com/books/Wisdom_of_Repugnance.html">http://www.orionsarm.com/books/Wisdom_of_Repugnance.html</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Recently I've noticed, when I Google "Wisdom of
Repugnance," this essay I wrote typically appears in the top 5. I do so
sincerely hope Leon Kass Googles frequently >:-)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mike, Newbie</DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>