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Questions to address other than whether the article used the word "animal" in the correct sense: - how will the affect the propagation of diseases from other s

Questions to address other than whether the article used the word "animal" in the correct sense: - how will the affect the propagation of diseases from other species to humans? - How will intellectual property concerns play into this research? - How do we prevent chimeras from having severe health issues as a result of incompatible physiology? - Are there health concerns from chimeras mixing with livestock? - What is the likelihood of creating "sentient" chimeras (for some value of sentience)? - How might sentience work differently in chimeras ("If a lion could talk, we would not be able to understand him" as the old quote goes) and how could we detect sentience? edit: list formatting

lliamander 10y ago
To answer one of my own questions, I honestly don't think that creating a "sentient" chimera (one with a human brain / cognitive awareness) is very likely. For one thing, these chimeras are being grown specifically for organ-harvesting. I don't see a medical purpose for harvesting human brains (and in any case, they would run afoul of the same ethical issues as if they were growing those brains in human bodies). For another, there is encephalization to deal with. A pig's body certainly couldn't hold a human brain. Nor (I don't think) could any primate body. Any species that could might be too incompatible in other ways. Besides, who knows what the experience of a sentient chimera might have? Being cognitively capable of communication (speech or sign) yet unable to do so? Being capable of using tools, but (potentially) not having the necessary appendages? Being born with an infants mind, craving human affection and interaction, yet unable to express that need? Being unable to mimic human adults in their behavior (a rather critical aspect of child development)? Being fundamentally alienated in their existence? I don't think we should take such a risk merely for curiosity's sake. Like I said, I don't find the scenario of sentient chimeras very likely, but it troubles me not because of how it might redefine what it means to be human, but because I am concerned about how traumatic the experience may be for this sentient being. The reality would probably be less "Ed the Talking Horse" and more "an infant trapped in a pig's body". As a parent, it's an unsettling idea. edit: spelling

lliamander 10y ago

To answer one of my own questions, I honestly don't think that creating a "sentient" chimera (one with a human brain / cognitive awareness) is very likely. For one thing, these chimeras are being grown specifically for organ-harvesting. I don't see a medical purpose for harvesting human brains (and in any case, they would run afoul of the same ethical issues as if they were growing those brains in human bodies). For another, there is encephalization to deal with. A pig's body certainly couldn't hold a human brain. Nor (I don't think) could any primate body. Any species that could might be too incompatible in other ways. Besides, who knows what the experience of a sentient chimera might have? Being cognitively capable of communication (speech or sign) yet unable to do so? Being capable of using tools, but (potentially) not having the necessary appendages? Being born with an infants mind, craving human affection and interaction, yet unable to express that need? Being unable to mimic human adults in their behavior (a rather critical aspect of child development)? Being fundamentally alienated in their existence? I don't think we should take such a risk merely for curiosity's sake. Like I said, I don't find the scenario of sentient chimeras very likely, but it troubles me not because of how it might redefine what it means to be human, but because I am concerned about how traumatic the experience may be for this sentient being. The reality would probably be less "Ed the Talking Horse" and more "an infant trapped in a pig's body". As a parent, it's an unsettling idea. edit: spelling