Genetically modified animals

[csgators]

Genetically modified cows produce 'human' milk.

 

The researchers used cloning technology to introduce human genes into the DNA of Holstein dairy cows before the genetically modified embryos were implanted into surrogate cows.

 

Now I like science and technology but isn't this going a bit over the top? Am I just getting old and can't keep up with the times?

 

There is almost no question that these types of modifications carry great benefits to humans but where should we as a species draw the line in what types of things we are willing to do to our fellow travelers. We have already bred these animals so that some species would have difficulty surviving without humans, now we are modifying their genetics by adding other species genes to them. If anyone has ever read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe there are cows that come over to your table and offer themselves as dinner. This is now very close to being a reality. Is this just inevitable our should an effort be made to stop it?

[stars2heaven]

I don't see why this should be an issue to anyone who would eat a cow. Aside from that, I see this from a very different perspective than most probably would. I don't see this as us only taking advantage of them. Atleast from an evolutionary perspective, their species is taking advantage of us as well. Had their ancestors not possessed the traits that made them so desirable to domesticate or use as a major food source who knows where they would be today. Maybe they'd be extinct.

 

Anyways, I draw my own subjective moral lines closer to animals that are capable of far greater mental cognition than cattle when it comes to doing with them what we will.

[evilneko]

I don't see a problem.

 

I don't see a problem with animal testing or genetically modified crops either. Most people have no idea how many millions of lives have been saved by such, and how many millions would suffer otherwise. This to me outweighs the momentary discomfort an animal might feel.

[Vindekarr]

I will deliberately limit what I post here, ebcause I feel very strongly about this topic.

 

What the world needs is balance. Top to bottom, it needs balance. In life too balance is important, but in idealogy, it's beyond critical. Extremism in any way blinds you and renders you weak, helpless, unable to do more than recite one faction's opinion with blind faith and no true belief. Extremist environmentalists disgust me. I have had run-ins a number of times with members of a number of "green" movements, and I trust this people about as much as I trust a radical religious militant group. They are extremists, blind zealots who see the world in black and white, for us or against us, unspoilt nature and unrepairable evil.

 

Extremist pro industrials are exacttly as bad, we cannot survive without nature, if we render this planet uninhabitable, we will die out. We cannot survive without a working environment, so those who would blindly use up every resource on Earth and destroy it's biosphere as as much a threat to us as those who see technology and, dare I say forward progress as anathema.

 

We need balance, a way to blend nature and science. To live in a highly technolgical state we dont have to obliterate nature or even change our modern lives to protect it. We need to find a point balance between nature and technology.

 

Animal testing is a contentious issue, as is genetic research. But these fools insist on playing both sides against the middle. Without genetic modification, it's unlikely we'll be able to protect the environment properly, resulting in far more extinctions. We would also be unable to rebuild lost species, protect those that are threatened, and would miss out on cures that would save millions, if not billions of lives. Likewise for animal testing, these creatures are lab-reared for scientific purposes, they cannot be released, would you rather them die needlessly? or serve science and save lives, animal and human? Better that 5000 lab grown rats die and 150 species of rare wild animal, or a million poor, starving people in Africa survive, than the other way around.

 

Balance is a weakness, denying the zeal and fervour that can be such a great strength, but if you can stay moderate, you can atleast see, and will always find the path that makes you strong.

[MrDoctorDD]

I believe if testing or altering a non-human animal benefits our species as a whole, it should be done.

[marharth]

Genetic engineering is good if held in the right hands.

 

Genetic engineering for animals and plants is fine, but on humans its a different story.

 

Advanced genetic engineering on humans would never work in a capitalist system.

[WeissYohji]

Genetically modifying animals is a good deed. Nothing like higher yields of meat! If meat is murder, then I never knew murder tasted so good! :)

 

Using it on humans? If it'll make us smarter, better, stronger, faster, and eliminate all birth defects and disease, I'm for it. It's 2011; why haven't we done this on a large scale yet? All the science nerds have done is make cell phones smaller!

[AncientSpaceAeon]

This is scarier:

http://www.cracked.com/article_19191_7-bizarre-advances-in-animal-cyborg-technology.html

[gormonk]

I don't see a problem.

 

I don't see a problem with animal testing or genetically modified crops either. Most people have no idea how many millions of lives have been saved by such, and how many millions would suffer otherwise. This to me outweighs the momentary discomfort an animal might feel.

 

i aggree.... the pros to genitick modafacation drastickly outway the cons

not to menion that each new DNA codeing we create is a new speaches of animail....(and all the furries rejoice at the possablilaty that this tech will lead into DNA spliceing)

 

just please dont mix sheep and human dna.... the movie "black sheep" is the reasion not to

[marharth]

This is scarier:

http://www.cracked.com/article_19191_7-bizarre-advances-in-animal-cyborg-technology.html

I don't see much problem with anything there.

 

For the machine stuff that seems like it will become super intelligence and nuke as all, well then don't create them only to serve mankind.

 

"It is not if machines think, it is if man does."