Chimeras: human stem cells grown in pigs for creation of transplantable organs for humans.
Couple thoughts: 1) if human over-populatuon is a thing, and if it leads to man-made climate change (assuming this is also a thing,) is it ethical to seek ways for diseased humans to live longer?
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If Chimera-produced organs become availabe, will they be distributed based on ability to pay?
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Would it be more cool to finally have a griffin, or some other mythilogical chimera produced?
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6 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.My first reaction was " Not without the pig's consent". Speciesism, along with greed, will be the eventual end of this planet as we know it.
StephenB420
Level 4
Dec 23, 2018
0
While I know it is easy to say when it isn't someone important to you personally, perhaps we would be better off using our limited medical expertise, time, and money on those for whom the benefits would be greatest. I don't even pretend to know how this would be administered. Would a heart transplant be better for an eighty year old man/woman or, would a transplant be better for someone younger, say thirty?
Grayghost
Level 6
Dec 23, 2018
0
The well being or happiness of the individual should not be viewed in the context of the size of the population. Those are two separate issues. Certainly both issues deserve, and the latter requires, attention, but neither demands that we abandon concern for the well being of individuals. Population control should not include denial of transplantable organs to individuals who need and can accept them. As to the matter of chimera, based upon your use of the term, it is not clear to me that you understand its meaning, but that is a collateral matter.
EduardoVallejo
Level 5
Dec 22, 2018
0
I personally think we are beyond the optimal population density for the planet. Regardless of the state if our medical science, I believe we are close to experiencing what some have described as the "Great Filter" for our species.
bigpawbullets
Level 9
Dec 21, 2018
3
I'm at the point where I believe we have a 50/50 chance of making it.. I think there are to many of us to have human extinction.. (we are a lot like cockroaches)..
But during this "bottleneck " (that's the term I have heard) if a large enough meteor hits the earth ? Who knows..
" is it ethical to seek ways for diseased humans to live longer?"
Yes
hippydog
Level 8
Dec 21, 2018
0
@PalacinkyPDX that a separate question.. will we make this technology available to all people?
@PalacinkyPDX "it's a question which, I feel, needs to be asked before this becomes yet another way of privileging one class over another."
Ah.. I don't disagree.. I am just at the point where I believe we don't have any choice.. this is how things go, this technology will likely not be any different.. (as it has nothing to do with the technology but how we deal it out. Ie: MRI, catscans, ultrasound etc , all started as expensive and then slowly worked it's way down to the masses)
In Canada, hopefully not as bad as we have universal healthcare and that seems to level the playing field a bit..
@bingst it's still a lot like the usa.. most of your coverage is thru work or you buy your own.. and the quality of that varies.. if you don't have coverage at work, but your not one of the working ultra poor or on welfare you just have access to the basic healthcare which does not include dental or eyeglasses..
When I was self employed I decided to skip the extra healthcare and went without dental for a few years. My new job has dental..
@Hellas it likely wont..
But if the patterns stay the same everyone still at least gets a chance at it..
An ultrasound 20 yrs ago was around $2000 now it's closer to $200 ..
It's hard to even picture modern medicine without it.
Genetic engineering seems to be following the same curve as other technologies (Moores law)..
So compare ultrasound and cellphones from 1998 to 2018 , and then picture what genetic engineering will be like in 2038..
The chimera thing will VERY likely not even be a thought by then as better and more amazing technology will have become the norm.
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