|
"Welcome to the 'Dr. Moreau's Delicatessen:' May I take your order?," he said, moving the menu around from person to person with his long, prehensile, trunk. [^]NIH ethicist David Resnik said during the agency’s November meeting. “The specter of an intelligent mouse stuck in a laboratory somewhere screaming ‘I want to get out’ would be very troubling to people.” Hiromitsu Nakauchi, a stem-cell biologist at Stanford University, began trying to make human-sheep chimeras this year. He says that so far the contribution by human cells to the animals’ bodies appears to be relatively small. “If the extent of human cells is 0.5 percent, it’s very unlikely to get thinking pigs or standing sheep,” he says. “But if it’s large, like 40 percent, then we’d have to do something about that.”
«Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.» Benjamin Franklin
modified 18-Jan-16 2:12am.
|
|
|
|
|
Some nutter wrote: then we’d have to do something about that.”
Has he seen Q/A? 
|
|
|
|
|
What's the point to this research? Sometimes I think research such as this has little or no scientific validity whatsoever. Instead of wondering if we "can" do this experiment, we ought to wonder if we "should" do this experiment.
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter
|
|
|
|
|
Don't remember who said the quote but...
Quote: The biggest problem nowadays is that mankind wins in knowledge before it wins in wisdom.
We are the smartest idiots/morons in mother nature kingdom.
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
|
|
|
|
|
Nelek wrote: We are the smartest idiots/morons in mother nature kingdom.
Consider: we are the most intelligently destructive top predator that ever evolved the capacity to savagely re-arrange Mother Earth to destroy itself, and all other species ?
«Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.» Benjamin Franklin
|
|
|
|
|
Testing pharmaceuticals is one obvious case. Animal models are currently the least bad way to see if something is likely to work on humans without killing us; but they're nowhere near foolproof due to differences in how the biological subsystems being targeted differ from ours. At a very narrow level this sort of thing is already occurring with geneticists adding small numbers of mutations to allow testing treatments for specific genetic diseases; this's just the next step.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
|
|
|
|
|
My point was that before scientists conduct an experiment they ought to ask the questions "Is this necessary", "Is this useful?", "Will it provide valuable information?"
I am of the opinion, that whilst they do a tremendous amount of good work, there are an increasing number of cases where these questions are not asked, and the only question seems to be "Can we do this?".
In such cases, I would question the validity, usefulness and ethics of such experiments.
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter
|
|
|
|
|
I disagree, that's a politician's approach to science - only invest where you expect returns.
If that had been followed historically, space exploration would never have happened and we'd have no semiconductor industry, to cite just two examples. The applications of science (and frequently do) should come later.
However, this particular direction raises ethical questions - that's an entirely separate issue. I agree we need to think deeply about the ethical issues raised. I trust neither scientists or religious types to make such judgements, as they've probably both decided before they even begin.
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough."
Alan Kay.
|
|
|
|
|
Rob Grainger wrote: However, this particular direction raises ethical questions - that's an entirely separate issue
That was the entire thrust of my reply. Hence my initial comment - scientists often ask themselves "can we do this" whereas they ought to ask themselves "should we do this". It is all too easy to get caught up in the scientific challenge and lose sight of the ethics involved.
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter
|
|
|
|
|
BillWoodruff wrote: “But if it’s large, like 40 percent, then we’d have to do something about that.”
Like... not doing it in the first place?
If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't. — Lyall Watson
|
|
|
|
|
BillWoodruff wrote: it’s very unlikely to get thinking pigs
I don't think human cells are an ingredient for anything thinking... 
If anything the pig will start watching stupid series on tv and being bad at its job 
|
|
|
|
|
Sander Rossel wrote: the pig will start watching stupid series on tv
So you mean like Arnold Ziffel from the "Green Acres" TV comedy (1965-71)[^] 
"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."
- G.K. Chesterton
|
|
|
|
|
Never heard of 
|
|
|
|
|
thinking pigs
Thinking humans would be even more sci-fi.
Life is too shor
|
|
|
|
|
|
Windows 7 and 8.1 won't be updated for future processors, starting with Intel's Skylake platform. That's definitely going to inspire people to upgrade
|
|
|
|
|
Fine then, I'll run what I can and there is certainly enough power today to annoy y'alls. 
modified 17-Jan-16 16:39pm.
|
|
|
|
|
I kinda doubt that can really be done. From what I've read it's just they won't update older OS's to take advantage of the features of newer CPU's.
Decrease the belief in God, and you increase the numbers of those who wish to play at being God by being “society’s supervisors,” who deny the existence of divine standards, but are very serious about imposing their own standards on society.-Neal A. Maxwell
You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun
|
|
|
|
|
That was my reading too. Indeed they explicitly say they will produce a list of supported devices for older versions, so my guess in Ars just wanted more click throughs.
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough."
Alan Kay.
|
|
|
|
|
Aaand how many generations old are my current systems anyway?
Processor Number Q8200
Launch Date Q3'08
Status End of Life
Processor Number E6850
Launch Date Q3'07
Status End of Interactive Support
|
|
|
|
|
Next week Microsoft will be telling us that our hair will fall out if we don't start using Windows 10.
|
|
|
|
|
23741 wrote: Microsoft will be telling us that our hair will fall out if we don't start using Windows 10.
It's too late for me. 
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
|
|
|
|
|
Maybe if you start using Windows 10, it will grow back.
|
|
|
|
|
23741 wrote: Maybe if you start using Windows 10, it will grow back.
No, thanks. My grandfather spent hundreds of Pounds Sterling (1950's prices!) on quack nostrums for his (lack of) hair. I don't intend to make his mistake...
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
|
|
|
|
|
Not a problem for you, now is it?
Decrease the belief in God, and you increase the numbers of those who wish to play at being God by being “society’s supervisors,” who deny the existence of divine standards, but are very serious about imposing their own standards on society.-Neal A. Maxwell
You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun
|
|
|
|
General 
News 
Suggestion 
Question 
Bug 
Answer 
Joke 
Praise 
Rant 
Admin 
Submit an article or tip
