Stem Cells..

Yes indeed, science only progresses when you limit research to one avenue.

Don't teach either of them...let them all wonder in ignorance.

I have just traversed the path through the seventh level of enlightened ignorance. [/pike]

I'm of the opinion they should open both adult and embryonic both up completely. I expect there will be faster advanced with adult stem cells since they're pretty highly restricted for embryonic.

I want to promote enlightened ignorance

Why? Do you think enlightened ignorance is better? It's the ignorance part that is the problem, not the enlightened part (that's just subjective bias).

Given ingnorance is ubiquitour, better it be enlightened.

"The bible belt is a great place to live no?" Only if you believe the Dark Ages were the highlight of human civilization.

I know what the issue is. I just don't believe embryos are people, I have no issues with it what-so-ever. I also have no issues with cloning from a technological / moral standpoint, my only thought there is we need to delve more deeply into the legal aspects of two people existing with the same dna, appearance, & the rights they would or wouldn't have.

I think people should have to sign up to donate. Make it a donation thing. You sign up knowing the risks.. those who want it to proceed, go for it.

People will die. Its a fact. Why must we attempt to prolong the life of 90 year old grandma who is bed ridden?

Yeah, no doubt its good stuff in there, but we're meant to die.

The Grim Reaper has been replaced by the Wingding.

What's your mother think of you??

Then you must be, she has some considerable experience from which to form an opinion.

A possible root cause of your delusional view of yourself perhaps.

My positive reinforcement comes from your mum...

Quite Rational there Snorkie....I Agree with all & will add nothing...

Your life, to me, seems worse than death.

Da[b][/b]mn the luck...

You're not considering this from the right perspective, I think.

These things don't make you live longer by just prolonging your decent into decrepitude, like a lung machine would, they make your body age less or even reverse the process.

You don't live old longer, you stay young for much longer.

And the 90 year old bed-ridden grandma has a chance to get up and walk again. Or even run.

With a possible life span of 200, there would be like two different species of human on earth. The rich elite, one that can afford to spend thirty years on just educating their offspring, humans that will have children at the age of 70-80 once they are established.

Like elves or something.

An actual superior species of humans. You know, elitists/white supremacists/aristocracy that will have reality on their side for a change.

And then the rest of world... it's scary. Enough for another good sci-fi dystopia.

Same here. Same guy has saved me twice, fcuker never shuts up about it.

it shouldnt be question of if we want to live longer...

it should be if we deserve to live longer...

yeah thats a good point man.

...*burbles to the indecisive, uncertain snorkius*...

He always seems to be a target of yours, but you never quite get to him. Why do you let him get away? Has he not ripened yet?

It's not a matter of who decides, but when these advances become available.

The political hubbub about stem cells has to do with whether the Feds should fund embryonic cell research. Private funding has and continues to occur, not only in the U.S. but worldwide. Private companies want not only a breakthrough, but a patentable strain (line) to make money from.

Yes this is a religious and/or philosophical quagmire. BUT...It doesn't matter.

If the science makes longer life possible, it will happen. And yes, as always, the rich will get the benefits first.

No, I'm not kidding.

No, it matters to me. Right or wrong the science for this continues.

There is money to be made. Few researchers are refusing to do the work on moral grounds.

NASA research on a manned space flight to Mars continues as well, though it is not a priority right now.

My admittedly cold and cynical point is simply that all the rhetoric on this issue has not translated into any action. Only the suspension of federal funding for the expansion of embryonic stem cell research has occurred.
If this is the best that conservative Republican politicians can do while in control of both the White House and Congress, how do you see the future outlook changing? Unless you believe that the bio-tech industry is made up of cartoon-like idiots with piles of ACME products that never work, it seems inevitable that progress will be made. As with most progress we will have to deal with the ugly side as well as benefit from the good. That is why I say that what we think about this just does not matter...

Whatever morality line I draw, and yours too, just does not matter.
In our democracy/republic, moral issues are far too often diluted through political compromise.
Birth control, abortion, test-tube babies, etc. are now commonplace even though the moral questions are still hotly debated. Our society's average moral lines are being continually redrawn. Issues that were universally unacceptable in the 50's became legal in the 70's. Why do you think the advances in stem cell research will be any different? Politicians will pay lip service to the issues, but do no more. There are too many proponents of this research. As a society we will not ban it. We may not use tax dollars to fund a portion of it, but in reality that's just more lip service. Unless the basket of ACME research fails to show a profit potential, it will continue.

I hope that changes in societal morality have no impact upon my personal views of right and wrong.
My reference to progress relates to scientific breakthroughs which create new solutions to societal problems. Finding and implementing cures for diseases being an obvious example.
I think of "average moral lines" in political terms. Not the personal morals of the slickest politician (thank goodness), but the stated/platform morals and viewpoints of all politicians averaged. When the vast majority of pols spoke of slavery as an acceptable standard, they were reflecting society's "average moral line" at that time. Society can redraw the line when enough citizens speak up for change.
I vote in every election, but I have never been a social/political "activist". I do not expect to become an activist over the issue of stem cell research either. Does this mean that my personal morals shift with the political winds? I don't think so. What I do see are strong arguments on both sides of the stem cell issue which will prevent politicians from doing anything at all.