[extropy-chat] Article: "Laughter at people's fears"

[Bryan Moss]

Neil Halelamien wrote:

>http://www.slate.com/Default.aspx?id=2111204&
>  
>

I think I must be missing something.  The article seems to focus on the 
authors rather silly interpretation of the lectures and a (perhaps) 
legitimate criticism of (one part of) one bioethicists talk.  The only 
concern I take away from this article is the continuing danger of an 
ethics that puts itself before science, as if scientists should only 
pursue that which self-appointed "ethicists" approve, and deifies the 
"laypersons" viewpoint, as if ignorance of an issue amounts to some sort 
of special purity when deciding whether it's ethical or not.  The only 
thing mild horror and confusion at using a modified HIV virus as therapy 
proves is that the entire notion of trying to have a "public dialogue" 
about a professional subject continues to be perverse and ridiculous.

BM