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From: zippy@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Patrick Tufts)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: The Ethics of Species Engineering ( WAS: Re: Human/Chimp Hybrids?)
Keywords: ethics
Message-ID: <1990Oct10.033436.9682@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu>
Date: 10 Oct 90 03:34:36 GMT
References: <1990Sep23.163322.28379@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> <4909@nisca.ircc.ohio-state.edu> <270A6B70.15884@ics.uci.edu> <38939@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> <1990Oct4.042043.27569@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Organization: Brandeis University Computer Science Dept
Lines: 43

bryans@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>pmm@acsu.buffalo.edu (patrick m mullhaupt) writes:
>
>
>>	As a non-biologist I am curious about what scientists would
>>hope to gain by performing the human/chimp experiment.  What questions
>>would this experiment shed light on?
>>	As a more general question; on what criteria should an
>>experiment, (any experiment), be judged as being worthwhile?  Who
>>should decide what the criteria are?  Should the general public get
>>any say in the matter?
>>	
>>	Patrick Mullhaupt
>
>	I must agree must agree with Pat.  While finding out what a human/
>chimp hybrid would be like would be interesting, I find the idea pretty
>abhorrent.  How could
>one rationalize keeping the being in a lab or some controlled enviroment 
>all its life.  I do not see anyone anywhere who would extend the poor 
>creature anything more than sympathy.  It would exist always hated, despised,
>or studied in a calculating manner all it life.  Many people struggle with
>the meaning of their life, this poor being would know *exacty* why he exists,
>and I'm sure that no one has the right to bring sentience to the world for
>such cold reasons.
>
>	As far as what it would shed light on, I'm sure it could shed light
>on many questions.  However, for any statistical significance to take hold,
>there would have to be at least a population of a few hundred.  This amounts
>to vurtual slave ;abor *whether or not they are used for more than sciemtific
>purposes*.                                          

Interesting - no one seems to mind breeding chimps for experimental
purposes, yet a chimp/human hybrid is 'abhorrent' and a 'vurtual [sic]
slave'.  

I suppose you consider chimpanzees primitive enough to enslave?

- Pat


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