Re: [asa] Will science always find a way?

 From: David Opderbeck <dopderbeck@gmail.com>

>> Mlucid said:? I don't see you average lefty (like me, traditionally) backing the destruction of human embryos if there is any alternative whatsoever, any more than I see the average fundy supporting surgical research on selective dissection of criminals brains.?

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> I don't think this is so.? On NPR a few days ago, I heard an embryonic stem cell research advocate say that research on embryos should continue regardless of the viability of using adult skin cells. The rationale was that multiple lines of research are more likely to produce useable results.? While that rationale may be correct in some sense, it is a far cry from "we won't touch this if there's any alternative whatsoever."

Yeah, it's a far cry alright, but a researcher who has his academic keister in the wringer is not the same as "your average lefty."?? That said, I think that pressure will slowly gather against embryonic research as the viability of other methods make it less necessary.

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> Further, the question goes far beyond stem cells.? I heard a talk at the law school last week on pre-implantation genetic screening in connection with in vitro fertilization.? The argument was that parents should be free to use such screening for essentially any purpose, including selecting for physical characteristics such as gender.? The result of this, of course, is that the embryos with "undesirable" characteristics are destroyed.? This is not a radical position, and in fact is the default already in many instances.? We
already practice eugenics.

Now, there's your slippery slope.? Can humans select evolutionarily viable "good" traits?? I think not.? We will create ourselves in our own egotistical (rational) image until we naturally de-select.? If we don't include God in the process, we're screwed.? If we don't look carefully at species level, spiritual essentials like faith, tolerance, love, humility etc etc as equally important as individual essentials like intelligence, strength, looks etc etc then we will die at our own vain hands for the privilege.?

I'm not sure how we might insinuate God properly into the tinkering with our genes, but it it INEVITABLE that we will tinker and somehow we have to get religious people up and running on not trying to stop it, but trying to inform it. Because I don't think we can stop it, and who knows, maybe it is God's will that we gain this increment of creating our selves in His image?? It's coming and we better be ready, huh?

Alternatively we might just have to segregate ourselves from the tinkerers to keep on a more naturally (Creation driven) selected path and let the rest of them try their had at tinkering.? This somehow seems to me to be naive in ways I can't currently fathom, but it represents a safer, more conservative, achievable alternative to tinkering.

-Mike (Friend of ASA)
 

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On Nov 29, 2007 11:26 AM, <mlucid@aol.com> wrote:

That there is a blurring of the science vs. religion lines of late is clear enough.? But that there might be a reversal of long entrenched positions
is not so clear.? I don't see you average lefty (like me, traditionally) backing the destruction of human embryos if there is any alternative whatsoever
, any more than I see the average fundy supporting surgical research on selective dissection of criminals brains.?

And while there is surely enough hypocrisy in both camps to thwart us doing what we need to do to ultimately save ourselves from ourselves, I don't think such hypocrisy is due for a polar reversal any time soon.

That said, stranger things have happened.

-Mike (Friend of ASA)

-----Original Message-----
From: Randy Isaac <randyisaac@comcast.net>
To: asa@calvin.edu

Sent: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 7:00 pm
Subject: [asa] Will science always find a way?

What do you make of?today's WSJ?op-ed piece?by the editor of First Things?

http://www.opinionjournal.com/federation/feature/?id=110010915

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I'm not sure we can say it can be universally expected that "science will always find a way." Yes, we should look but it's not?a given.

?

Also, what do you biochemistry experts say about the technical work?

?

Randy

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Received on Thu Nov 29 12:29:32 2007