My son is crazy about ligers, tigons and mythological creatures, confirming everlasting human desire of combining parts of different animals ;-)
It's amazing and horrifying to see how these desires come true. Lately I've seen a short film basing on one of the Lem's novel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_wtstuo4Is. It's funny to see how intellectual fantasy becomes reality in our presence.
I think it's much too late to ask about ethics. In Europe, we have already last the battle. People are ready for any kind of experiment that could prolong their lives or make them have perfect children. And even if we could change something in the Western civilization, we won't stop the East.
Firstly I sow that movie, secondly I visited TED.COM site – I’ve never heard about that web before - then… damn, I spent there more than 4 hours :) Really fascinating presentations, I’m recommending, seriously.
Now about GMO. We are now at the very beginning of creating artificial organic stuffs and even beings. Actually that is the future. Of course it’s terrifying but everything which is unknown is. It’s amazing that nowadays we’re able to produce noses and ears, just for the replacement. And after few years everyone of us would be able to use / buy/ spare parts for our bodies, different colored shapes and appliance. “Sorry, actually we are run out of left legs but please, wait a while we’re gonna plant one for you“. Well said. It’s too late for the ethics. We have to mark straight border between science and ethics or even religion. Staying in harmony with every of its unfortunately will bring us nowhere.
i just hope we won't cross the borders like making super humans. Still it would be great if we could make ourselves spare parts. Imagine how much suffering could be avoided.
Actually a very interesting presentation. I believe that genetic interference with the natural development of animals is not appropriate. Why does that man always needs to intervene and change, improve ... I'm not talking about research aiming to discover a cure for cancer or other diseases, but artificial modification and creation of overgrown fish or animals for commercial purposes only.
Is the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables, and meat from animals are not completely useless for such treatments?
You can already see the effects of gigantism in children who are fed artificially processed products.
GMO has supporters and opponents. I am opposed to GM food consumption and release of living modified organisms into the environment, rather than the production of GMOs in closed laboratories, only I'm sorry for all those on animals. Paul R.W. said:.. some of those things have been already used into human body. I agree with him that it is not only responsibility of scientists it is also responsibility of everybody what kind of body we are going to have in the future.
I believe that genetic manipulation is a very interesting field of science. It gives different opportunities, but also carries some risks. BIO Engineering allows you to manipulate the genes of organisms, mixing them together and create new organisms. The benefits that follow are possibility of cloning organisms for the purpose of transplantation or the elimination of hereditary diseases. I do not like mixing different types of animals such as lion with a tiger or a llama with camel. How do we know if for example that the U.S. military will not use these opportunities to create new kinds of (live) or BIO weapons or to create an army of mutants? Unfortunately, I consider all these actions as unethical and contrary to the Christian religion even though they are fascinating.
I agree that it's very interesting but also controversial topic. The matter is very hard and it can rise a concern among people. I am generally against GMO food production, I have even prepared an extra short presentation about GMO, that I will present soon. On the other hand creating new human organs to save somebody's life or supporting endangered species by "reconstruction" them sounds promising...
this is scary! sounds like a bad dream..What design does really mean in this case, how can we design human or animal organisms? People began to do this just as they began to create clothes or buildings but we're not just things. We have emotions, we have our bodies and all rights to keep our independence. I don't understand how some people are able to take away autonomy of animals which also have the right to a dignified life, not as a robots but as a living organisms. And about what Jakub said I think borders have been crossed already. The most interesting thing for me is that if bio-engineering will go further we have a chance to glow in the dark ! it could be fun:)
I found this video really interesting, even if I don’t know much about science. I'm not really sure if “to design” is the best expression for all of this. In my opinion, we can’t design creatures in this way. I would call it re-design, because these forms of creations are based entirely upon already existing parts of nature. For example: we could not be able to design a complete human without having genetic material from the existing species beforehand, right?
I remember when I was in high school, we were taught about similar concepts. The experiments with flies and beans come to mind. The experiments were more fun, compared to serious information from the video above.
Genetic knowledge can give the scientists the opportunity to accurately predict the chances of whether or not some diseases develop in humans, animals, and plants. This would be helpful use of genetic knowledge. I think this level of knowledge may not be completely harmless, but it does also include the potential to become a very helpful, especially for people who want to make a family.
Humans and animals are already such a perfect and amazing form of life created by nature. Is it really absolutely necessary to make some glow at night, etc?
It is a natural human need to develop. I think it’s good for science to think of new solutions or to find new ways of helping people or animals. Unfortunately, every good idea can be also a bad one. As Jakub said, hopefully no one will come up with an idea of making superhumans or something like that. This is totally dangerous and unethical. Besides, we can’t ever be sure how such experiments would end. Let’s just hope that in the nearest future our lives won’t be similar to science fiction movies.
Saying that it is too late for talking and thinking about ethics is a huge mistake. In human being is something irrational- we have unintelligible ability of self-destruction. We are trying to change a almost everything: nature rights, lengthen a life, overcome a death, exploit a nature and make a environment dependent on us but in nature everything have to be in equilibrium. For a long time we had poisoned an environment but suddenly someone had opened his eyes and now we are trying to correct a mistake. Ethic is still a hope for future. I believe that genetic manipulation will stop in the right moment. People should make out that we are not unpunished and if we destroy a nature sooner or later something will destroy us.
Like every TED this one was very interesting. While such experiments may prove useful for understanding the human body they can cause unforseen consequences in lets say 10 generations. I hope they will stay away from humans for now and observe current test subjects closely looking for flaws.
I do agree with the comments that genetic manipulation is a very interesting field of science and that it carries many risks and brings many opportunities. However, in my opinion genetic engineering means acting against nature as a whole. Creating a liber ( a hybrid of lion and tiger) is like playing the role of God with the only exception that God knows what he is doing and we – human beings – don’t. We cannot predict where genetic engineering will take us in the future and what effects it will have. It seems like people want to control everything on earth including evolution. But as it can be concluded from numerous natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis nature has its own plan and it will not let us take over control. Too many organisms can suffer from mistakes in cloning. We cannot give guarantees that cloned organisms will be in perfect health. Genetic engineering is too powerful and too unknown for us to use it on a regular basis. On the other hand it should be mentioned also that in some fields of science like medicine cloning can help people save many lives through drugs developed thanks to genetic engineering. It all depends to what extent we use the power of cloning.
It's quite difficult and controversial topic. My bf is studying biotechnology and he stands for GMO. Personally I'd like to have a choice in the shop to buy fresh, natural products or modified. In that way modyfing food could find its way. But somehow already exist. I'm talking about ecological food and stuff (btw being "eco" is kind of fashion madness now). But it has one big disadvantage. "Healthy" food is expensive. Price can be highier even about 4-5 times than GMO food. So, not everyone can buy it. I feel distracted. I agree with Hubert that genetic engineering is powerful and unknown for us, but remember the same thing was when people were starting researches on human body and the Church was against it. The clue is to have a distance and keep balance with researches. It may happen we will discover something that will help humanity a lot, or destroy us completely. Somehow I deeply believe in that good aspect.
Hmm I really don't believe at biotechnology, that they can help us with modified food. I think about these food as a chemical compound. I cannot eat what was modified chemical. I remember some interview about McDonald and chickens, which the meat was used to fast food in McD. I was really shocking after watching! You kno how hormally chicken look at country, but at film was chickens threeto four times larger! They were packed with chemistry and lived iin the crowd in the henhouse. After that I stopped eat in McD. Then about eko-foods, I agree with Agata, they're too expensive for normal people, but these with fat wallet can buy. For us, normal people, are fresh, natural products, but when we know that they are fresh, natural or modified with chemistry? And if all are healthy for our bodies? It's a good questions.
As usual TED presentation raises a lot of important questions :)
I found this speech quite interesting, with much emphasis on IT involvement. I have not even expected that humans have already developed an animal-bot (hybrid of an animal and a computer chip to control its movement). As interesting as this is, it also raises a lot ethical doubts.
Will there ever be an end to biotechnoloogical development? Trully speaking, I don't think so. Dolly, the first to be cloned sheep, has been "breeded" in 1996 and announced to public half a year later. Back then it was shocking to the public, most people though it was unnatural and unethical. Nowaydays people see hope in producing organs for transplants, even though it is still unethical and does not differ from cloning or creating hybrids of animals.
The last thing, that I have found remarkable is that scientist where able to develop the first artificial organism. "Playing God" has finally found it's true meaning.
Bio engineering is important to develop but I think everything done in this field of knowledge should have its reasonable limits. As Michał said we are playing God here so we must be careful - ofcourse what people do there is very important for us and their job, results may be used to solve a lot of problems in our life - but at the same time it may cause a lot of problems if used the way it shouldn't be. And as we know there are always people who have bad intetions
These animals really look like they were created in Photoshop. In the world there are many species of animals and I think because of that they still look naturally for us in some way.
However, I think that most of these experiments are unethical. For example the experiment with fluorescence rats, pigs or even monkeys. That's not useful, but a fantasy fulfillment of researchers.
Genetic manipulation is a very interesting subject. On the one hand it can bring many positive aspects for humanity - cures for many diseases, plants that are able to grow in difficult conditions and can solve the problem of hunger in the world. Despite of all good sites we can manage with many problems, that GMO brings to us. We still don't know how it can affect on human bodies after a long-term usage. Also the ethical site is very important. Should it be allowed to make all of this animals suffer?
Indeed, these animals look as if they were made in Phtoshop! This was my first impression too, especially the zebra hybrid.
I agree with Sebastian's comment that for researches it's a fantasy that comes true. I would even go further and call it a sick creativity of wicked minds.
My son is crazy about ligers, tigons and mythological creatures, confirming everlasting human desire of combining parts of different animals ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing and horrifying to see how these desires come true. Lately I've seen a short film basing on one of the Lem's novel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_wtstuo4Is. It's funny to see how intellectual fantasy becomes reality in our presence.
I think it's much too late to ask about ethics. In Europe, we have already last the battle. People are ready for any kind of experiment that could prolong their lives or make them have perfect children. And even if we could change something in the Western civilization, we won't stop the East.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFirstly I sow that movie, secondly I visited TED.COM site – I’ve never heard about that web before - then… damn, I spent there more than 4 hours :)
ReplyDeleteReally fascinating presentations, I’m recommending, seriously.
Now about GMO. We are now at the very beginning of creating artificial organic stuffs and even beings. Actually that is the future. Of course it’s terrifying but everything which is unknown is.
It’s amazing that nowadays we’re able to produce noses and ears, just for the replacement. And after few years everyone of us would be able to use / buy/ spare parts for our bodies, different colored shapes and appliance. “Sorry, actually we are run out of left legs but please, wait a while we’re gonna plant one for you“.
Well said. It’s too late for the ethics. We have to mark straight border between science and ethics or even religion. Staying in harmony with every of its unfortunately will bring us nowhere.
i just hope we won't cross the borders like making super humans. Still it would be great if we could make ourselves spare parts. Imagine how much suffering could be avoided.
ReplyDeleteActually a very interesting presentation. I believe that genetic interference with the natural development of animals is not appropriate.
ReplyDeleteWhy does that man always needs to intervene and change, improve ...
I'm not talking about research aiming to discover a cure for cancer or other diseases, but artificial modification and creation of overgrown fish or animals for commercial purposes only.
Is the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables, and meat from animals are not completely useless for such treatments?
You can already see the effects of gigantism in children who are fed artificially processed products.
GMO has supporters and opponents.
ReplyDeleteI am opposed to GM food consumption and release of living modified organisms into the environment, rather than the production of GMOs in closed laboratories, only I'm sorry for all those on animals.
Paul R.W. said:.. some of those things have been already used into human body.
I agree with him that it is not only responsibility of scientists it is also responsibility of everybody what kind of body we are going to have in the future.
I believe that genetic manipulation is a very interesting field of science. It gives different opportunities, but also carries some risks. BIO Engineering allows you to manipulate the genes of organisms, mixing them together and create new organisms. The benefits that follow are possibility of cloning organisms for the purpose of transplantation or the elimination of hereditary diseases. I do not like mixing different types of animals such as lion with a tiger or a llama with camel. How do we know if for example that the U.S. military will not use these opportunities to create new kinds of (live) or BIO weapons or to create an army of mutants? Unfortunately, I consider all these actions as unethical and contrary to the Christian religion even though they are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's very interesting but also controversial topic. The matter is very hard and it can rise a concern among people. I am generally against GMO food production, I have even prepared an extra short presentation about GMO, that I will present soon.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand creating new human organs to save somebody's life or supporting endangered species by "reconstruction" them sounds promising...
this is scary! sounds like a bad dream..What design does really mean in this case, how can we design human or animal organisms? People began to do this just as they began to create clothes or buildings but we're not just things. We have emotions, we have our bodies and all rights to keep our independence. I don't understand how some people are able to take away autonomy of animals which also have the right to a dignified life, not as a robots but as a living organisms.
ReplyDeleteAnd about what Jakub said I think borders have been crossed already.
The most interesting thing for me is that if bio-engineering will go further we have a chance to glow in the dark ! it could be fun:)
I found this video really interesting, even if I don’t know much about science.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure if “to design” is the best expression for all of this. In my opinion, we can’t design creatures in this way. I would call it re-design, because these forms of creations are based entirely upon already existing parts of nature.
For example: we could not be able to design a complete human without having genetic material from the existing species beforehand, right?
I remember when I was in high school, we were taught about similar concepts. The experiments with flies and beans come to mind. The experiments were more fun, compared to serious information from the video above.
Genetic knowledge can give the scientists the opportunity to accurately predict the chances of whether or not some diseases develop in humans, animals, and plants. This would be helpful use of genetic knowledge. I think this level of knowledge may not be completely harmless, but it does also include the potential to become a very helpful, especially for people who want to make a family.
Humans and animals are already such a perfect and amazing form of life created by nature. Is it really absolutely necessary to make some glow at night, etc?
It is a natural human need to develop. I think it’s good for science to think of new solutions or to find new ways of helping people or animals. Unfortunately, every good idea can be also a bad one. As Jakub said, hopefully no one will come up with an idea of making superhumans or something like that. This is totally dangerous and unethical. Besides, we can’t ever be sure how such experiments would end. Let’s just hope that in the nearest future our lives won’t be similar to science fiction movies.
ReplyDeleteSaying that it is too late for talking and thinking about ethics is a huge mistake. In human being is something irrational- we have unintelligible ability of self-destruction. We are trying to change a almost everything: nature rights, lengthen a life, overcome a death, exploit a nature and make a environment dependent on us but in nature everything have to be in equilibrium. For a long time we had poisoned an environment but suddenly someone had opened his eyes and now we are trying to correct a mistake. Ethic is still a hope for future. I believe that genetic manipulation will stop in the right moment. People should make out that we are not unpunished and if we destroy a nature sooner or later something will destroy us.
ReplyDeleteLike every TED this one was very interesting. While such experiments may prove useful for understanding the human body they can cause unforseen consequences in lets say 10 generations. I hope they will stay away from humans for now and observe current test subjects closely looking for flaws.
ReplyDeleteStill, it would be cool to glow in the dark ;)
I do agree with the comments that genetic manipulation is a very interesting field of science and that it carries many risks and brings many opportunities. However, in my opinion genetic engineering means acting against nature as a whole. Creating a liber ( a hybrid of lion and tiger) is like playing the role of God with the only exception that God knows what he is doing and we – human beings – don’t. We cannot predict where genetic engineering will take us in the future and what effects it will have. It seems like people want to control everything on earth including evolution. But as it can be concluded from numerous natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis nature has its own plan and it will not let us take over control. Too many organisms can suffer from mistakes in cloning. We cannot give guarantees that cloned organisms will be in perfect health. Genetic engineering is too powerful and too unknown for us to use it on a regular basis. On the other hand it should be mentioned also that in some fields of science like medicine cloning can help people save many lives through drugs developed thanks to genetic engineering. It all depends to what extent we use the power of cloning.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite difficult and controversial topic.
ReplyDeleteMy bf is studying biotechnology and he stands for GMO. Personally I'd like to have a choice in the shop to buy fresh, natural products or modified. In that way modyfing food could find its way. But somehow already exist. I'm talking about ecological food and stuff (btw being "eco" is kind of fashion madness now). But it has one big disadvantage. "Healthy" food is expensive. Price can be highier even about 4-5 times than GMO food. So, not everyone can buy it.
I feel distracted. I agree with Hubert that genetic engineering is powerful and unknown for us, but remember the same thing was when people were starting researches on human body and the Church was against it. The clue is to have a distance and keep balance with researches.
It may happen we will discover something that will help humanity a lot, or destroy us completely. Somehow I deeply believe in that good aspect.
Hmm I really don't believe at biotechnology, that they can help us with modified food. I think about these food as a chemical compound. I cannot eat what was modified chemical. I remember some interview about McDonald and chickens, which the meat was used to fast food in McD. I was really shocking after watching! You kno how hormally chicken look at country, but at film was chickens threeto four times larger! They were packed with chemistry and lived iin the crowd in the henhouse. After that I stopped eat in McD.
ReplyDeleteThen about eko-foods, I agree with Agata, they're too expensive for normal people, but these with fat wallet can buy. For us, normal people, are fresh, natural products, but when we know that they are fresh, natural or modified with chemistry? And if all are healthy for our bodies? It's a good questions.
As usual TED presentation raises a lot of important questions :)
ReplyDeleteI found this speech quite interesting, with much emphasis on IT involvement. I have not even expected that humans have already developed an animal-bot (hybrid of an animal and a computer chip to control its movement). As interesting as this is, it also raises a lot ethical doubts.
Will there ever be an end to biotechnoloogical development? Trully speaking, I don't think so.
Dolly, the first to be cloned sheep, has been "breeded" in 1996 and announced to public half a year later. Back then it was shocking to the public, most people though it was unnatural and unethical. Nowaydays people see hope in producing organs for transplants, even though it is still unethical and does not differ from cloning or creating hybrids of animals.
The last thing, that I have found remarkable is that scientist where able to develop the first artificial organism. "Playing God" has finally found it's true meaning.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBio engineering is important to develop but I think everything done in this field of knowledge should have its reasonable limits. As Michał said we are playing God here so we must be careful - ofcourse what people do there is very important for us and their job, results may be used to solve a lot of problems in our life - but at the same time it may cause a lot of problems if used the way it shouldn't be. And as we know there are always people who have bad intetions
ReplyDeleteThese animals really look like they were created in Photoshop. In the world there are many species of animals and I think because of that they still look naturally for us in some way.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think that most of these experiments are unethical. For example the experiment with fluorescence rats, pigs or even monkeys. That's not useful, but a fantasy fulfillment of researchers.
Genetic manipulation is a very interesting subject. On the one hand it can bring many positive aspects for humanity - cures for many diseases, plants that are able to grow in difficult conditions and can solve the problem of hunger in the world.
ReplyDeleteDespite of all good sites we can manage with many problems, that GMO brings to us. We still don't know how it can affect on human bodies after a long-term usage. Also the ethical site is very important. Should it be allowed to make all of this animals suffer?
Indeed, these animals look as if they were made in Phtoshop! This was my first impression too, especially the zebra hybrid.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sebastian's comment that for researches it's a fantasy that comes true. I would even go further and call it a sick creativity of wicked minds.