Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!ucsd!rutgers!att!cbnewsm!mls
From: mls@cbnewsm.att.com (mike.siemon)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Human/Chimp Hybrids?
Summary: chimp chumps
Message-ID: <1990Sep25.175301.6426@cbnewsm.att.com>
Date: 25 Sep 90 17:53:01 GMT
References: <999@massey.ac.nz> <6284@bgsuvax.UUCP> <26689@boulder.Colorado.EDU> <3432@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 45

In article <3432@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU>, minsky@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU
(Marvin Minsky) writes:

> Surely it is the most vicious proto-genocide to block the
> coming-into-being of an entire promising new species. After all the

Well, now; *that's* a loaded term for you, "proto-genocide" -- we are
to be held to account as murderers of the worst kind for NOT producing
species we might conceivably produce?  Isn't that the old-time Catholic
argument against birth-control?

> species w've helped extinguish, this is surely the least we could do
> to make amends.

And here is the real rub.  Your position assumes as a default that we
are "good guys" enough to do an acceptable job of "guardianship" over
any such manufactured species.  I have doubts -- very serious doubts --
that this is a good assumption.  Particularly when I see language like
Mr. Thorson's:

# potentially make possible the development of super-humans ...
# and proto-humans...  It might also lead the way toward the neotenization
# of inferior species, such as chimps...

# future generations.  Destiny demands it!  The future heroes of science
# will be those brave men and women (and perhaps a few smart chimps) who can
# see past the "morality" composed by the clique of small-brained bureaucrats

The last major usage of such terms (untermensch und uebermensch, and the
mentality that sees the world in terms of "inferiority" and its own
"superiority" to the demands of human morality has sufficiently brought
the terms into disrepute that any *contemporary* advocacy of such things
had damn well better be prepared to give a good and compelling defense
for pulling out those particular stops on the rhetorical organ.

"Destiny demands it" indeed!  And yes, I *am* calling proponents of such
experiments (potential) Nazis, unless they can propose truly adequate
controls to prevent moral abuses.  And given that we have a bad record
of providing such controls within our *own* species, you've got a daunting
task.
-- 
Michael L. Siemon		"O stand, stand at the window,
m.siemon@ATT.COM		    As the tears scald and start;
...!att!sfsup!mls		 You shall love your crooked neighbor
standard disclaimer	    	    With your crooked heart."