Divine misconception of the day: “Are Scientists Playing God? It Depends on Your Religion”. The misconception is that “playing God” is inherently wrong. Frankly, “playing God” is not even something new. Ever since the dawn of civilization, humans have been genetically modifying plants and animals. The methods traditionally used have been artificial selection and hybridization—humans breed organisms for characteristics they want—but the results were no less dramatic. Humanity have probably even undergone modification via sexual selection—selection of mates on a rational or aesthetic basis. Yet no one is worried about traditionally modified corn or cows, and few (if any) people mate purely at random to avoid having children with more desirable characteristics. Genetic engineering is merely a new way of doing what has done before, and as such being paranoid about it is unwarranted. Let us leave scenarios where genetically engineered organisms go haywire and kill us all in B-movies where they belong.
Today’s news and commentary, some of which Barry is responsible for:
- “The Madness Continues . . .”
- “New York Times 6 Month Study”
- “Debunking Al-Dura”
- “Scientists find fossil of enormous bug”
- “Whale found deep in Brazil rain forest”
- “Black spots threaten cave drawings”
- “Evidence Of Injustice”
- “Brian May Named University Chancellor ”
- “Cannabis Compound May Stop Metastatic Breast Cancer” (If this does turn out to be a good treatment option, I wonder how the federal government, in its extreme paranoia about marijuana, will react. Maybe throw a hissy fit...)
- “U.N.: Million displaced in Somalia”
- “Dog owners go barking mad for fancy dress” (This seems wrong somehow.)
Aaron
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