Geneticists create Chimeras - I'm effing serious.

[Algolei]

...I'm one of those whack jobs that thinks that there really is not that big a gulf between the neurologic functioning(intelligence) of many animals and humans. It's mainly a matter of different styles of communication - we're mainly verbal, and they don't speak our language - rather than a lack of basic sentience on their part.

I think I love you.

If I needed a liver, and none were available but a chimeric one grown in a SPF sheep, I'd take it in a heartbeat.

Personally, I'd prefer the SPF-grown liver--at least I'd know where it had been.

 

[Breakstone]

Wow. This is absolutley terrific!

 

[I'm A Banana]

I'm one of those whack jobs that thinks that there really is not that big a gulf between the neurologic functioning(intelligence) of many animals and humans. It's mainly a matter of different styles of communication - we're mainly verbal, and they don't speak our language - rather than a lack of basic sentience on their part.

Show me a sheep that can grasp the nature of subjectivity, or a cow that can moo of freedom, and we'll talk.

(a) PETA is probably already crapping themselves in fury over this. "GROWING ANIMALS FOR HUMAN USE?!?!?! ARGH!"

(b) Stem Cells here aren't so much an issue because they're not taken from fetuses, they're taken from living adult humans, which are copasetic with most who object to the other kind.

(c) The hand-waving that goes on about the ethics is eminantely humorous to me. Because the sheep aren't talking back, and still behave like sheep, we call them sheep. Because we try to keep the neurological qualities down to a minimum, they are still beasts, and not humans. I guess I have to thank the forces of history that we didn't have this advanced manipulation when we still considered people with different colored skin chattel...

Ethics? From a perspective, you are allowing beasts to become partially human for the simple purpose of harvesting them if anything happens to you....it's a complex web of crazy we weave.

 

[Algolei]

...you are allowing beasts to become partially human....

Causing, actually. Or forcing. "Allowing" suggests they have a choice in the matter. Or that you're doing them some sort of favour.

 

[Alzrius]

I couldn't get the article to load, but in principle I'm 100% for this type of research. The sooner we get real life catgirls, the better!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

The sooner we get real life catgirls, the better!

Mmmmm......catgirls......<drool>

 

[Staffan]

(a) PETA is probably already crapping themselves in fury over this. "GROWING ANIMALS FOR HUMAN USE?!?!?! ARGH!"

That's a major plus in my book.

 

[Zappo]

Good that they're doing this, and I hope they can continue to advance the research. I want my skin, blood, kidneys, liver, etc ready to go when I get hit by a truck or something.

What he said.

 

[Krieg]

That's a major plus in my book.

Only because it means fewer of them will be protesting outside the local steak house the next time I go there.

 

[Torm]

Show me a sheep that can grasp the nature of subjectivity, or a cow that can moo of freedom, and we'll talk.

Would you know?

They say that an adult dog in most breeds has the intelligence of a three year old human child. I've never had a dog I didn't think was at least that smart.

And everyone knows that after thousands of years of domestication, cows have developed a social order in which they are actually proud of their offspring when they are well-suited to serve our needs. "Moo of freedom." Bah! Blasphemy!