3 ms·

This sounds wrong to me. Cloning exists, IVF is a routine medical operation and now this headline. IVF is basically the science version of two teenagers going a

This sounds wrong to me. Cloning exists, IVF is a routine medical operation and now this headline. IVF is basically the science version of two teenagers going at it.

rayiner 2y ago
You still need the teenagers. IVF simply replaces the mechanical act of fertilization.
- rowanG077 2y ago
  Taking that logic to its conclusion will mean you think technology can do nothing until we can make new universes. To quote Carl Sagan: "To make an apple pie you must first invent the universe". At what point do you agree that science can make babies? I think IVF counts, you don't. What is the treshold for you?
  - rayiner 2y ago
    I’m not making a metaphysical point here. IVF still relies on the human reproductive machinery to produce the gametes and gestate the baby. You’re still using human reproductive machinery to do 99% of the work. By contrast, science can make synthetic insulin for example.
    - rowanG077 2y ago
      I'm also not trying to make a metaphysical point. I'm trying to get at why you think it doesn't count. I was poking at your argument to try and get at what you really think, because I think the argument you made was too shallow to be the real deal. > By contrast, science can make synthetic insulin for example. Can it? Afaik all insulin is completely organic in nature. We still fully rely on existing life to create insulin. Not to dissimilar from IVF actually. > IVF still relies on the human reproductive machinery to produce the gametes and gestate the baby. You’re still using human reproductive machinery to do 99% of the work. Right and with insulin the bacterium performs 99.9% of the work. Yet, there you don't have a problem of calling it technology. So that's why I asked the very clear question. What is the threshold for you?
- renewiltord 2y ago
  It’s a matter of time. Gametogenesis will come in time. We’re close enough. If you’ve written software, you know that bug-compatible replications can take longer than the original for sufficiently complex original.
- poulsbohemian 2y ago
  They gotta take the fun out of everything, don't they?

This sounds wrong to me. Cloning exists, IVF is a routine medical operation and now this headline. IVF is basically the science version of two teenagers going at it.

rayiner 2y ago

You still need the teenagers. IVF simply replaces the mechanical act of fertilization.

rowanG077 2y ago
Taking that logic to its conclusion will mean you think technology can do nothing until we can make new universes. To quote Carl Sagan: "To make an apple pie you must first invent the universe". At what point do you agree that science can make babies? I think IVF counts, you don't. What is the treshold for you?
- rayiner 2y ago
  I’m not making a metaphysical point here. IVF still relies on the human reproductive machinery to produce the gametes and gestate the baby. You’re still using human reproductive machinery to do 99% of the work. By contrast, science can make synthetic insulin for example.
  - rowanG077 2y ago
    I'm also not trying to make a metaphysical point. I'm trying to get at why you think it doesn't count. I was poking at your argument to try and get at what you really think, because I think the argument you made was too shallow to be the real deal. > By contrast, science can make synthetic insulin for example. Can it? Afaik all insulin is completely organic in nature. We still fully rely on existing life to create insulin. Not to dissimilar from IVF actually. > IVF still relies on the human reproductive machinery to produce the gametes and gestate the baby. You’re still using human reproductive machinery to do 99% of the work. Right and with insulin the bacterium performs 99.9% of the work. Yet, there you don't have a problem of calling it technology. So that's why I asked the very clear question. What is the threshold for you?
renewiltord 2y ago
It’s a matter of time. Gametogenesis will come in time. We’re close enough. If you’ve written software, you know that bug-compatible replications can take longer than the original for sufficiently complex original.
poulsbohemian 2y ago
They gotta take the fun out of everything, don't they?