AquaStudent
Members
I have a hypothetical question for you that I want to hear your opinion on. It's been months and I'm still not sure how I feel about the subject.
Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors, mainly for his older works. Two of my personal favorites is Jurassic Park and The Lost World. I'm not sure if you have read the books but hopefully you've at least seen the movies (the third movie isn't really relevant).
Anyway, my question is if we were able to genetically recreate an extinct species should we do it?
The dinosaurs were recreated using DNA "extracted" from blood-feeding insects trapped in amber. The DNA was still broken so they used gene sequencing on a couple of super computers to fill the missing links with frog, avian, and reptilian DNA. They tried the sequences until they created a living dinosaur. The dinosaurs were 'perfect' except they created them all female to prevent breeding and that they were unable to produce the protein Lysine. The lysine dependence was to ensure that no dinosaur ever escaped, if one did they would die in 24 hours without the lysine (fed to the animals in their diets).
This is one of the philosophical debates that takes place throughout the plot. One of my favorite quotes (I remember it from the movie but I also think it was from the book) is from Dr. Malcolm and the punch line/humor replied by Dr. Sattler.
Ian Malcolm: God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.Ellie Sattler: Dinosaurs eat man … woman inherits the earth. Another interesting debate involved with this is since we have the power to create the dinosaurs we also have the power to change them in any way we want. This issue was brought up in the novels between John Hammond and his head scientist. His head scientist was suggesting that they slow the dinosaurs down to fulfill the stereotype generated by people throughout the 20th Century that dinosaurs were slow, stupid reptiles, that are safer to be around. In actuality they found out that they were intelligent, FAST, and warm-blooded creatures ('proves' new theories about dinosaurs).
By genetically modifying them Hammond's Park would be safer to the public and be easier to control/show off the dinosaurs. Hammond is completely against it because it robs the dinosaurs of their 'reality'.
EDIT: I really am not sure where I would fall in the philosophy of the book. I would love to see dinosaurs but they were also selected out by nature/God whatever you believe in. It's dangerous but also the chance to bring back species from millions of years ago is awesome. Paleontology would become more like biology where the scientists can actually study the creatures.
I'm curious as to what you all would take of this.
Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors, mainly for his older works. Two of my personal favorites is Jurassic Park and The Lost World. I'm not sure if you have read the books but hopefully you've at least seen the movies (the third movie isn't really relevant).
Anyway, my question is if we were able to genetically recreate an extinct species should we do it?
The dinosaurs were recreated using DNA "extracted" from blood-feeding insects trapped in amber. The DNA was still broken so they used gene sequencing on a couple of super computers to fill the missing links with frog, avian, and reptilian DNA. They tried the sequences until they created a living dinosaur. The dinosaurs were 'perfect' except they created them all female to prevent breeding and that they were unable to produce the protein Lysine. The lysine dependence was to ensure that no dinosaur ever escaped, if one did they would die in 24 hours without the lysine (fed to the animals in their diets).
This is one of the philosophical debates that takes place throughout the plot. One of my favorite quotes (I remember it from the movie but I also think it was from the book) is from Dr. Malcolm and the punch line/humor replied by Dr. Sattler.
Ian Malcolm: God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.Ellie Sattler: Dinosaurs eat man … woman inherits the earth. Another interesting debate involved with this is since we have the power to create the dinosaurs we also have the power to change them in any way we want. This issue was brought up in the novels between John Hammond and his head scientist. His head scientist was suggesting that they slow the dinosaurs down to fulfill the stereotype generated by people throughout the 20th Century that dinosaurs were slow, stupid reptiles, that are safer to be around. In actuality they found out that they were intelligent, FAST, and warm-blooded creatures ('proves' new theories about dinosaurs).
By genetically modifying them Hammond's Park would be safer to the public and be easier to control/show off the dinosaurs. Hammond is completely against it because it robs the dinosaurs of their 'reality'.
EDIT: I really am not sure where I would fall in the philosophy of the book. I would love to see dinosaurs but they were also selected out by nature/God whatever you believe in. It's dangerous but also the chance to bring back species from millions of years ago is awesome. Paleontology would become more like biology where the scientists can actually study the creatures.
I'm curious as to what you all would take of this.
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I love that!
