4 ms·

That increase in knowledge has been mainly quantatative, not qualatative. Sure, we know know exactly which stars are in quadrant x27b or where dopaminergic neur

by drcode 17y ago

That increase in knowledge has been mainly quantatative, not qualatative. Sure, we know know exactly which stars are in quadrant x27b or where dopaminergic neurons connect in the limbic system. But that doesn't solve practical problems that improve people's lives, the way telephones and electricity did. Quick: Name one practical, day to day benefit of the Human Genome Project...

mrshoe 17y ago
Dunno, but I sure have benefited from the Music Genome Project.
sophacles 17y ago
Not day to day, but I can send a vial of spit off to a company which will then tell me if I have any genes which increase risk for certain illnesses. I can then take preventative measure. For an old timey medical thing, which is really what you should be comparing your medical knowledge stuff to, not electricity, what is a practical, day to day, benefit of antibiotics? (I would argue the curing your sickness is a special occasion benefit, even less day to day than preventative measures taken from the genome thing).
- drcode 17y ago
  Your point on antibiotics is a fair retort to my argument- Though if I had to choose between knowing a human's full DNA sequence or posessing antibiotics, clearly the latter is by far the superior item.
roc 17y ago
DNA forensics?
- jacquesm 17y ago
  That's incremental, not revolutionary. DNA research may eventually give rise to a revolutionary breakthrough but it will still not herald the coming of 'the singularity', and that was what this article was about.
- drcode 17y ago
  DNA forensics uses technology that predates the human genome project. There are some minor (but significant) benefits to "DNA analysis" as a larger category. My point is that the Human Genome Project was sold as an exponential-style technology that would revolutionize disease research within a couple of years- But now it's been completed for a long time already and the benefits have been slight (Though I still wholeheartedly support the project despite this- Minor improvements are valuable, too)
antipaganda 17y ago
People like my grandmother who were adopted, and thus didn't know their family history, can now get a genetic analysis done to see if they are more likely to get breast cancer, or any of a host of other ailments. Can't get much more practical and day to day than "am I going to get cancer."
- drcode 17y ago
  This is a fair response- Though I would point out that none of the companies that do this (including 23andme.com, the one getting all the news) don't do full DNA sequencing and instead use techniques to find genetic markers that predate the human genome project.

by drcode 17y ago

mrshoe 17y ago

Dunno, but I sure have benefited from the Music Genome Project.

sophacles 17y ago

Not day to day, but I can send a vial of spit off to a company which will then tell me if I have any genes which increase risk for certain illnesses. I can then take preventative measure. For an old timey medical thing, which is really what you should be comparing your medical knowledge stuff to, not electricity, what is a practical, day to day, benefit of antibiotics? (I would argue the curing your sickness is a special occasion benefit, even less day to day than preventative measures taken from the genome thing).

drcode 17y ago
Your point on antibiotics is a fair retort to my argument- Though if I had to choose between knowing a human's full DNA sequence or posessing antibiotics, clearly the latter is by far the superior item.

roc 17y ago

DNA forensics?

jacquesm 17y ago
That's incremental, not revolutionary. DNA research may eventually give rise to a revolutionary breakthrough but it will still not herald the coming of 'the singularity', and that was what this article was about.
drcode 17y ago
DNA forensics uses technology that predates the human genome project. There are some minor (but significant) benefits to "DNA analysis" as a larger category. My point is that the Human Genome Project was sold as an exponential-style technology that would revolutionize disease research within a couple of years- But now it's been completed for a long time already and the benefits have been slight (Though I still wholeheartedly support the project despite this- Minor improvements are valuable, too)

antipaganda 17y ago

People like my grandmother who were adopted, and thus didn't know their family history, can now get a genetic analysis done to see if they are more likely to get breast cancer, or any of a host of other ailments. Can't get much more practical and day to day than "am I going to get cancer."

drcode 17y ago
This is a fair response- Though I would point out that none of the companies that do this (including 23andme.com, the one getting all the news) don't do full DNA sequencing and instead use techniques to find genetic markers that predate the human genome project.