Genetic Alteration and Cloning for Personal Use

[Thermo]

I am wondering how people feel about exploiting cloning and genetics.

Would you alter your own genetic code to improve your body? For example, say you could get regeneration, superhuman senses or naturally anti-bacterial hands to avoid colds.

Would you grow a clone body without a brain and move your brain into it when your body is worn out? Would you be willing to actually move the data or brain patterns in your brain to an entirely new body?

If not, why?

[misutii]

yes and yes and yes
i want esp too, and special pores so that i always smell like freshly picked red roses

i suspect that mostly people with 'morals' will be against this and thus those idiots will deprive us of any possibility, shallow beings... they'll complain that even if you give the brain a 'new' body the 'soul' cannot be transferred, of course that is utter bullocks as there is no soul, and even if there is a soul, i'd be glad to try this anyways... as i am above such petty concepts

[Sackanaka]

made me remember reading this
http://www.classicauthors.net/Pope/PoemsOfAlexanderPope/PoemsOfAlexanderPope4.html

though I don't agree with much of what Pope said, there is a point at which I think if crossed will border on and invite insatiable greed. that and I'd think it'd be too much of a hassle to bother with genetic "cosmetics". Cuz genes can fail too you know (and in the long run and whole picture, maybe a good thing).

[jimkopelli]

I don't think it would be feasible to mess with your genetics after you're born... think about it.

[Architectonic]

Its going to be done whether we like it or not...

[moni]

Its going to be done whether we like it or not...

sounds right... the fact that people have already come up with the idea shows that there probably are scientists who are tempted to test it out (or maybe they already are? at least on animals).

i wouldn't mind improving my brain though, maybe have some kind of skill like "photogenic memory." if parents were able to decide how their baby will look and turn out ("oh, i want it to be a girl with blue eyes, curly blonde hair, and have the possibility of getting double d boobs when she reaches puberty. oh, and with an IQ of 210.").... *shudders*

[VagusX]

I don't think it would be feasible to mess with your genetics after you're born... think about it.

It certainly would be vastly more difficult and would be an entirely different process. However, since we've already had some limited success with gene therapy for patients with Ornithine Transcarbamoylase Deficiency and Cystic Fibrosis, I wouldn't say never.

-V

[Dman]

Absolutely, but on a case by case basis (for example if I have a predisposition to inherit some horrible illness that can be prevented).

You would also have to weigh the risk/rewards...if you could modify your genetics to look all buff, but there was a 50% chance of your heart exploding at a young age because of it, well you get the point.

About the brain being moved to a new body, what makes you think your brain is going to be in such hot shape when you do that? You'd have the body of a 23 year old but you'd be nutty as a fruitcake.

[CoHo]

Would you grow a clone body without a brain and move your brain into it when your body is worn out? Would you be willing to actually move the data or brain patterns in your brain to an entirely new body?

I don't see us ever going that far. I don't mean to say it won't be possible, just that technology would gravitate more towards people building robotic bodies then fast-growing a bunch of tissue.

[Ka.avik]

I don't see us ever going that far. I don't mean to say it won't be possible, just that technology would gravitate more towards people building robotic bodies then fast-growing a bunch of tissue.
I know of a certain bunch (http://us.vclart.net/vcl/) of people who would be very thrilled at the prospect of moving into another body.

As to how I feel...I'm not sure. The corporate greed that would be needed to get us that would in fact be sickening, and that is reason enough for me to consider standing against all such genetic manipulation. Even GM crops are actually a bad thing -- because they're all the same plant, thus no survival if perchance some fungus/virii/etc does manage to attack the plant. Plus of course, is the whole notion of vendor lock-in. Software I can live without, but WTF do the bigwigs think they're doing trying to coerce farmers into a non-compete arrangement? Or, as has happened -- the seed does reproduce -- in your neighbors field. All accidental, but now, according to the law (tried in canada, IIRC) the neighbor has to buy a corn license, too.

As much as I'd love to look like a wolf (http://us-p.vclart.net/vcl/Artists/Becky-Short/silverfoxsmile.jpg), I'm not totally sure I'd go _that_ far -- only because english could be hard to remaster now that I'd have a loooong muzzle.

But, Jimkopelli...I think with growth hormones, a few other tricks, it could be done; just probably in stages.

[MasterMerk]

I'm hung up on the issue. On one hand, part of me thinks it a bit stupid to "fake" your genes. But, it would be useful to prevent serious disorders from occuring, and I don't think a few little alterations would need a fuss. There's also the notion that if genetic alterations are made available at a cost, the gap between the privelidged and the un-privelidged will multiply tenfold.

I think the problems we associate with it now would all seem irrelevant and small, if it did come to pass. It would become no big thing.

[dasnov]

I am all for genetic tampering. if scientists can prevent illnesses, make you more intelligent, or make you live longer then i see no problem in it. i also would have no problem if the parents decided to change how the child looks or their overall apperance. allthough i would be hesitant to try this on my own body as i would not want to risk my life to get a new body, look better, or become smarter... i am happy the way i am.

[coffeezombie]

I would only want some kind of genetic tampering if it were freely open to everybody. Instead, we're probably going to end up with rich families having "superbabies" someday.

[Ka.avik]

I would only want some kind of genetic tampering if it were freely open to everybody. Instead, we're probably going to end up with rich families having "superbabies" someday.

Agree wholeheartedly

Well, actually I kinda have a problem with some the the social prerequisites for social medicine, which would be needed for the offer-as-worded above, but I hear ya' -- the rich get richer, and the poor get cloned and told they have to split one man's pay, because the super-CEO says they are the same person.

[Vega]

I'm all for it, as long as proper safeguards are in place. Namely I wouldn't want to create a person with a functioning brain and then kill it. As long as the brain was disabled so it was not a conscious entity, then I'd be fine with anything.

[Lee]

It barely matters whether we are for or against it... once a technology such as this is possible it will be put to use eventually, it would come with benefits to those who take advantage of it and the rest of the world would fall behind unless they tagged along. I am personally all for it, if for no other reason than the interest factor... it's also probably the best way for humans to extend beyond this planet and colonise space... a bit of DIY evolution if you will.

[Ka.avik]

It barely matters whether we are for or against it... So, you're saying we shouldn't talk about it because we're not the one movers and shakers deciding on it? :P

We should get legislators thinking about this kind of long-term issue before it comes to light; as slow as congress moves, they'd need a decade to get the bugs worked out.

[Lee]

So, you're saying we shouldn't talk about it because we're not the one movers and shakers deciding on it? :P
I did not say that.

I mean simply that regardless of how much it is discussed it WILL happen eventually, of that I am almost certain.

[Miss Anthropic]

I don't think it would be feasible to mess with your genetics after you're born... think about it.
They are already working on altering faulty genes that cause specific diseases like diabetes. The difficulty is the genetic mapping..finding out exactly where the flaws or problems are before they can fix them, or learn to fix them. If they can figure out how to do that they could end genetically caused diseases like cystic fibrosis or huntington's disease. I think genetic modification to "fix" certain diseases would be far superior to treating the diseases with chemicals. I also believe scientists should be able to do experiements with stem cells, even if just by allowing women to donate unbilical cords after childbirth.

Thermo, you are going a bit sci-fi here, but I can appreciate it. You know that pet-cloning company, Genetic Savings and Clone? I thought that was ridiculous, but then my cat died and I actually thought, "If I were rich, and $50,000 meant to me what $500 means to me now, I'd do it!" A lot of behavior is genetic and I'd have a big furry cat that drooled on me and hissed like he was coughing up phlegm just like the one I'm missing! Ah, Teasel I miss you. Sometime I will get around to posting his pic on the pet memorial thread.

[PiccoloNamek]

Would you grow a clone body without a brain and move your brain into it when your body is worn out?

Hell yes. Although the brain wears out eventually. Neurons die. You'd have to figure out a way to replenish them every few decades or so. Ideally though, I would just put my brain into a prosthetic body.


Would you be willing to actually move the data or brain patterns in your brain to an entirely new body?

No, because it would break the continuity of my sentience.