Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

internetworkers - Re: [internetworkers] Genetically modified foods

internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Jim Allman <jim AT ibang.com>
  • To: "Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/" <internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [internetworkers] Genetically modified foods
  • Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2004 08:47:04 -0400

On Jun 23, 2004, at 10:55 AM, zman wrote:
And if you would look at the Genomes for those plants
you are so worried abot you would see that they contain the same proteins
and amino acids anyway....

Sure, but isn't this like saying that software virii are benign, because they contain the same opcodes as legitimate software? It's the combination and subsequent behavior that count.

One big difference: we can pretty thoroughly analyze any piece of software to determine what it does. I gather that the full expression of genes is much murkier, not at all thoroughly understood, so I don't think it's superstitious to "expect the unexpected" when we tinker. (I'd love to be wrong here, please let me know..)

I believe that on balance, GM foods offer more promise than threat. But it seems like we're pretending more knowledge than we actually have, and that a big mistake here will be the gift that keeps on giving. Kudzu, anyone?

Some have suggested using insurance to cover the remote-but-serious risks of innovation in GM foods, nanotech, etc. It would impose an up-front cost on investors who might otherwise plunge in without considering those risks, so Bill Joy can get some sleep. What do you think?

=jimA=

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jim Allman
Interrobang Digital Media
http://www.ibang.com/
(919) 649-5760





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page