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From: wbpesch@ihuxp.UUCP (Walt Pesch)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: RE: chance to help
Message-ID: <948@ihuxp.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 10-Jan-85 19:25:25 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxp.948
Posted: Thu Jan 10 19:25:25 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 12-Jan-85 01:35:25 EST
References: <1004@ihuxe.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 44


> >> Question:  Which way would you like prefer to deal with Birth Defects?
> >>        A. Prevent them by killing babies with defects in the womb or after
> >>           they are born?
> >>        B. Prevent them by curing them, or preventing the defects from
> >>           occuring in the first place?
> >> 
> >It would be nice if we could cure/prevent them.  I expect we will
> >eventually have the technology to prevent genetic defects.
> >
> That means we will be God. It implies we could design our own children
> with any genes we choose(not just those which are defective). Its
> mind boggling when you think about it.     Robert

My what a simple, easy-to-get-to definition of God?  You must be
easily pleased.  No requirements for dreaming up doppler shifts to
confuse the poor human scientists or really fooling us by leaving
fossils?  Loki will be displeased with the idea.

I wonder if this means that fruit growers would be considered
demi-gods, since they used genetics to develop the seedless orange?

But seriously folks, if we are to consider science now that the
character assassination requirement is filled, where can we go with the
idea of designing your own child.  I mean beyond the blond hair and a
tan.  The end of birht defects, both physical and mental.  The
breeding of intelligence.  The elimination of genes that are more
succeptable to the diseases of entropy, such as cancer and senelity.
That's posAnd so on and so forth.  These are all positive.

But, I wonder where the differences in life would come from?  When 
all the world decides what is  the ideal human being, and
that has been bred/altered, what will come of individuality???  Will
we soon see a world stagnated, with creativity stifled not because of
the government or anything external.  But instead this will come
internally, because everyone will think the same thoughts?  HHMMMMM...

And anyway, if we bred for intelligence, where would the politicians
come from?


Walt Pesch
AT&T Technologies
ihnp4!ihuxp!wbpesch