Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Our adolescent Star Trek debates about what is a "person" are about to jump into the real world. We figure we know that ulcans, Romulans and Klingons possess "personhood" because --- why? Because they can reason and communicate? Because they can love, and fear, and choose? Because they are morally responsible for their actions due to the exercise of reason and self-consciousness? Then what about chimps operating with human brain cells?

Class, discuss.

1 posted on 07/14/2005 7:57:52 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies ]


To: Mrs. Don-o

Like The Island of Doctor Moro (sp?).
"Are we not men?"
Creepy.


2 posted on 07/14/2005 8:06:05 PM PDT by henderson field
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Mrs. Don-o

It would seem to me that a primate that became self-aware, might find his world at once a very frusting place to live. Not fitting in with humans or his own kind, it might be a very cruel reality. I am not convinced this would be the outcome if 'some' human cells were cloned in. When our knowledge increases a bit more, it might be.


3 posted on 07/14/2005 8:06:25 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (US socialist liberalism would be dead without the help of politicians who claim to be conservative.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Mrs. Don-o

Reparations, I smell reparations in the future.


4 posted on 07/14/2005 8:08:38 PM PDT by cripplecreek (If a democrats lips are moving, they're lying.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Mrs. Don-o

I hope they wont be use as suicide bombers...

neither be converted to Islam...


5 posted on 07/14/2005 8:08:51 PM PDT by ChristianDefender (Expand Gitmo... build another kind in North Pole...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Mrs. Don-o
I don't really see what's so bad about giving apes more intelligence. Well, except we already know how this story ends:


6 posted on 07/14/2005 8:10:28 PM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Mrs. Don-o
There's the case against stem cell research. This can only lead to more Democrats.
8 posted on 07/14/2005 8:13:37 PM PDT by Ukiapah Heep (Shoes for Industry!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

Pretty soon monkeys will be running for Congress ...

... and winning ...

(hell, if people will elect Henry Waxman, any primate's got a shot.)


9 posted on 07/14/2005 8:15:48 PM PDT by jayhorn (when i hit the drum, you shake the booty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Mrs. Don-o
This can't be good
11 posted on 07/14/2005 8:42:30 PM PDT by Oztrich Boy (God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. . - Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Mrs. Don-o

Anybody remember the Heinlein story, "Jerry Was a Man"?

I don't think creating a new class of intelligent anthropoids is a good idea. If they are self-aware enough to realize that they are captives and what that really means ... then they would in effect be slaves. That was outlawed a few years ago, as I recall.


12 posted on 07/14/2005 8:47:01 PM PDT by Hetty_Fauxvert (Kelo must GO!! ..... http://sonoma-moderate.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

To: Mrs. Don-o

The Ugly Little Boy.


13 posted on 07/14/2005 9:20:52 PM PDT by dsc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson