Synthetic Biology: Jim Thomas

Long Now Synthetic Biology Debate: Jim Thomas of the ETC Group. Thomas is an eloquent and forward-looking critic of "extreme genetic engineering".

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Jim
• Thomas
• synthetic
• biology
• genetic
• engineering
• etc
• group
• wired
• wired.com
• science

[DescentToCocytus]

A shameful display of luddism. Arguing that the synthetic chemical industry was economically harmful is absolutely absurd. Sure, individual people lost their jobs, but employment as a whole did not fall. Also, the synthetic chemical industry has been responsible for huge gains in the standard of living for people the world over.

[WHGSTD]

Agreed.

[richardlionnelcruz]

i quit watching this after 2 and a half minutes. For some reason I just couldn't stand this guy.

[JulioMarco]

Saying that to disarm the future we will have to avoid a booming synthetic biology industry is to say that, to disarm the future, we will have to shut down every single type of industry in our world.

Killing people is not a hard thing to do and any field of technologycan breed deadly weapons.

On the other hand, technology does not destroy employment, but change the parameterrs in the labor market, causing a crisis in the beginning, but increasing employment overall in the long term.

[AquariaNetTV]

But today we have the internet, which allows science and society to advance and apply those new technologies at a much faster, exponential rate than in the past.

His analogy overlooks this and assumes science and social awareness of technology and it's practical uses and applications develops in the same way it did in the 19th and 20th centuries. He couldn't be more mistaken.

.

[jax668]

Did i hear correctly!!!-that at 5:25 he said that the 1918 flew virus was built-what!! is he sure-now i am confused!!!

[RealityZealot]

What a dire video. Interesting comparison between synthetic biology, and synthetic chemistry. Compare the evil of synthetic chemical weapons to synthetic biological weapons and think of the seriousness with which this topic deserves.

But hey, it will result in cheaper commodities! Thats fun!

[sushicotto]

If you truly had read Germar Rudolf or Fred Leuchter (or Ernst Zundel), you'd know there was a typhus epidemic. Its a well known fact.

[4prilia]

yes I have..and wouldn't it be better to follow the opinion of millions which is based on the experience of people who lived around the time of the WW2,instead of believing who where born after these crimes and have a - call it questionable unserious history?it's up to you what you believe.but i'm interested what you think happened there? and why they needed so much of the hydrogen cyanide? i've been to some of the camps and I think there's no doubt that the "stories of murder" are in fact true.

[sushicotto]

Ever read Germar Rudolf and Fred Leuchter? I think you should before visiting the camps, or commenting about them.

[4prilia]

ever been to a extermination camp... i think you better should before posting such comments