Over at The Corner , Daniel Foster wonders whether a tremendous recent breakthrough in creating pluripotent stem cells from normal body cells, could end the culture war battle over biotechnology. Alas, not a chance.
As I pointed out in a longer analysis of this story over at Secondhand Smoke : Even if this advance did EVERYTHING that scientists wanted from ESCR, it won’t stop many from wanting to experiment on nascent human life. Indeed, some would look at the advance, shrug, and keep on trying to clone human embryos.
It is important to understand that stem cell advances are not the end game. As I wrote in NRO last week , embryonic stem cell research is merely the opening stanza of a much longer symphony that ultimately seeks to open the door to Brave New World technologies such as genetic engineering and human enhancement, all of which require cloning and/or experimenting on embryos to perfect.
So, will this end the war? Nope. Will it help those of us who want to convince Main Street of the need to enact responsible regulations to prevent Brave New World? You betcha.
While I have you, can I ask you something? I’ll be quick.
Twenty-five thousand people subscribe to First Things. Why can’t that be fifty thousand? Three million people read First Things online like you are right now. Why can’t that be four million?
Let’s stop saying “can’t.” Because it can. And your year-end gift of just $50, $100, or even $250 or more will make it possible.
How much would you give to introduce just one new person to First Things? What about ten people, or even a hundred? That’s the power of your charitable support.
Make your year-end gift now using this secure link or the button below.
