Posted on 09/10/2006 5:38:02 AM PDT by voletti
At the moment, what passes for genetic engineering is mere pottering. It means moving genes one at a time from species to species so that bacteria can produce human proteins that are useful as drugs, and crops can produce bacterial proteins that are useful as insecticides. True engineering would involve more radical redesigns. But the Carlson curve (Dr Carlson disavows the name, but that may not stop it from sticking) is making that possible.
In the short run such engineering means assembling genes from different organisms to create new metabolic pathways or even new organisms. In the long run it might involve re-writing the genetic code altogether, to create things that are beyond the range of existing biology. These are enterprises far more worthy of the name of genetic engineering than today's tinkering. But since that name is taken, the field's pioneers have had to come up with a new one. They have dubbed their fledgling discipline “synthetic biology”. Truly intelligent design
One of synthetic biology's most radical spirits is Drew Endy. Dr Endy, who works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, came to the subject from engineering, not biology. As an engineer, he can recognise a kludge when he sees one. And life, in his opinion, is a kludge.
(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...
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Bring on the Singularity!
There are countless examples in the world around us of order and complexity that are known to have their origin as a result of intelligence. Give me one example where order and complexity are known to arise from a non intelligent cause, without assuming the conclusion, that the universe came into existence with out intelligence, and you would have a point.
Order and complexity arise naturally (no deity or ID needed). I will post more later when I have more time.
Just to keep it simple, these are DNA building blocks for artificial genes and artificial organisms.
Although you're right, we don't know everything, but that's an unreasonable standard for homo sapiens.
We'll be smarter after we're done redesigning ourselves and supplying implants for faster processing and memory storage.
Hurry! I'm not getting any younger here!
That's not scientifically discernable.
What was the point of that?
I thought you were better than that.
Snowflakes.
That's what my dad keeps saying. ;)
Bill Clinton was in Slovakia???
Finally a useful link from DLR.
We are making progress. :)
The ones with the funniest responses. ;)
Aren't Ford autos
designed by engineers? What
will those guys whip up
when they turn their skills
to cranking out new life forms?!
Yeah. They'll be good gods . . .
Microsoft is full
of software "engineers." You
want their brain implants?!
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