I was having an in-depth conversation with a few friends about this the other day, and was wondering where you guys stand on the issue.
I myself am for the most part against it. I think humans are trying to play God a little too much these days, and the whole ecosystem is going to pay the price. I can elaborate my point, but let's see what you guys think first.

for those not in the know.. here is more information

http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/


i view it as a good thing and as a bad thing, if it can be controlled and ONLY used for medical to extent then yes..

-E

this post was a result of that controlling the weather thing wasn't it?

anyways I would have to say that I'm not entirly for it being for the nature of the way the get the stem cell, but I believe that it is comming to be a nessesity becuase of all the people who need organs or hands... or other random missing body parts, maybe its a nessesary evil? :jammin:

My old college roomate is working at Northwest U (not shitty MN, but sweet Chicago) on a project where they are trying to use sperm cells in the same way they are using stem cells. So hopefully stem cell will just be a short step or skipped in favor for a more easily renuable (and less controvercial) medium. Don't ask for details cause I don't know.

"Donate YOUR sperm for scientific research!"

I am definitely against it. I think it would be awesome for the medical field, but evil will get its hand on this technology and do bad bad things with it.

Definately against. they have other sources for cells that will work as mentioned. I am one of the people who would probably benefit from the research, but there is no way I would want my health improved by anything I would consider morally wrong. Too much of man playing God for my taste.

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner! :banana:

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Don't get me wrong, I am a compassionate person, but I do believe that everything happens for a reason. I'm all about organ donation, but when you're making something from "nothing", it crosses the line. We are then not solving the problem, but in fact creating another one. This world is overpopulated as it is... let life run its course. Why do we seem to be in such a rush to eliminate the phrase "we're only human"?

Unfortunately, mankind will continue to pursue Stem Cells, and will eventually be accepted into the medical field, and with full-force. Poplulations will soar, the poverty level will rise, and we will eat up all our natural resources. Not that this isn't already happening, but stem cell research will accelerate it substantially. In the end, our desire to live will kill us all. How ironic...

I am God!

Funny, almost all the replies are against it, but most of the votes are for it....? Come on people voice your opinions!

I am very much for it.I realistically don't see much of a downside to it, other than the morality issues pertaining to where the cells come from(and personally I don't find it immoral).I also don't see any way this could be used for evil, could someone explain? I doubt it will lead to any significant increase in population or significantly increase average life span either.As with most things pertaining to cloning, genetics, etc as you get into the technical issues/aspects, you will see nature kinda has a way of protecting itself.Things such as telomeres give a very finite living age to genetic material, so more than likely an organ "generated" from a 40 year olds(for instance) genetic material, will be a 40 year old organ.Brain cells have a very finite age as well, and regardless of what anyone thinks/says we will never be able to grow a new brain, not a working one at least.

Regardless of what it is, I firmly believe, we as humans should sieze any and all possible opportuintiies in the advancement of science, big or small, moral or immoral.Advancements that would equally allow every human the opportunity of long life(no I don't consider embryos human life, precursor to, but not human life), have the most merit in my book.As far as playing god, someone has to.

BTW When I die my head will be cryogenically preserved at Alcor in Scottsdale, Arizona(I am serious no joke).Its things such as stem cells and nanotechology that may allow them to grow me a new body sometime in the distant future.

http://www.alcor.org/