I'm not trying to start an all out war in here. I was just reading an article in Time about stem cell research, and it got me thinking.
I just wanted to know what everyone's thoughts were on the possibility of stem cells curing everything from leukemia, cancer, etc., and the impact it's going to have on the global population.
I'm all for stem cell research to see where it might go. However, if hospitals around the world start using this to treat people, I feel it's definitely going to increase our population. Should stem cell use be regulated? If so, how? What are the guidelines?
Desert Tuners
“When you come across a big kettle of crazy, it’s best not to stir it.”
it is true that in the semi-far to far future curing diseases seemingly could cause a population issue.
however, the thign about organisms is that they adapt and evolve. we will cure say, cancer, something else will come along that kills just as many that will take us years and years to cure and then a new one will arive and so on and so forth.
so in reality i really dont think its possible to get any kind of severe over population.
Creative Draft Art Media Forums
Stem cells? I think they go well with custard.
Seriously speaking though, because they're amorphous and need to be determined, they're really powerful. They won't cure some diseases, but will help with a lot of things like spinal cord injuries and other genetic disorders... they won't be an acute life-saving tool of course, they'll be used to treat chronic conditions.
Will it cause overpopulation? No. That's happening because of a lot of unchecked and unsheathed f*cking.
Transeat In Exemplum: Let this stand as the example.
Stem cell reasearch is still in very early stages. I completly agree with "Nathaniel O'Flaherty" however. Nature has its own way of balancing the population out. Always has always will.
-Chris
I'm all for it too. If my wife had miscarried our son I would have wanted him to serve a purpose, such as saving lives down the road. I'm an organ donar for the same reason. When we die, our bodies can be used to save lives. I'm dead, I don't need it anymore. Why not let it help someone else. Seems like such a waste to just throw it in the ground or burn it up. I see how organ donations save lives and don't have very strong religious constraints though.
Reversly though, and off topic, I am against cloning. Creating life in order to cut it up and serve it out like car parts. I just don't like that idea.
Team GREEN
Suspension Division - "Handling Before Horsepower"
Making the turns since 1999
1998 EK Civic Hatch - Yes, it's a Honda.
Well, if they are only cloning parts, I don't see a problem. Sadly, many people don't donate their organs and cloning may be necessary. Medical advancements are helping those who would normally die stay alive. The only problem with this IMO is that we are stopping the evolutionary process, I believe that with time these diseases would diminish some because those with the diseases would not be able to pass on their genes. Of coarse this only applies to diseases that are passed down through genes, and no one should be refused treatment because of this.
_________________________________________________________________
-There is no such thing as objective journalism, there never was.
-The government is best which governs least.
-The forefathers were not necessarily right.
-Religion breeds self-righteousness.
-Ignoring problems rarely fixes them.
-All men are CREATED equal.
-We DO legislate morality.
-Justice does not exist.
-Rely only on yourself.
-Legalize marijuana.
-Gun control kills!
good point.
while obviously i would never want myself or family members refused treatment or not have the treatment available, it does pose an interesting idea.
where is the human evolutionary path going when we start diminishing the effects of survival of the fittest. some peoples bodies can fight diseases very well. the ones that cant die, and we are left with more people who can fight diseases than cant fight diseases. therefore, leading us on a evolutionary path where the human race becomes stronger and stronger.
Creative Draft Art Media Forums
I'm for stem cell research and treatments that come from it. We signed away rights to the placentas for all my kids when they were born because they're used for research and some medicines.
And off-topic, I agree with RailS that cloning for spare parts isn't cool.
And if a major breakthrough is made and stem cells become a "fix all", they'll regulate who gets it by making it painfully expensive and not covered by any insurance.
.
John Wilken
2002 Cavalier
2.2 Vin code 4
Auto
You don't think we should be able to "grow" a heart to save your grandpa?
_________________________________________________________________
-There is no such thing as objective journalism, there never was.
-The government is best which governs least.
-The forefathers were not necessarily right.
-Religion breeds self-righteousness.
-Ignoring problems rarely fixes them.
-All men are CREATED equal.
-We DO legislate morality.
-Justice does not exist.
-Rely only on yourself.
-Legalize marijuana.
-Gun control kills!
Well, in order to grow a heart, you have to grow something living to create the heart. So no, I do not think we should be able to "grow" a heart to save my grandpa? Although it would be a rough time for me to deal with, it is part of life. Everyone dies. You can't live forever.
Team GREEN
Suspension Division - "Handling Before Horsepower"
Making the turns since 1999
1998 EK Civic Hatch - Yes, it's a Honda.
Actual they don't need to "grow a living being to get a part. They have grown an ear in the back of a mouse and a blood vessel in a "bio-reactor". I'm pretty sure that science will advance far enough in the next few years to give us the ability to grow any part in a "bio-reactor", if we can't already. I used a grandpa as an example but it could easily be a baby or a young woman.
HERE is a link about growing body parts.
_________________________________________________________________
-There is no such thing as objective journalism, there never was.
-The government is best which governs least.
-The forefathers were not necessarily right.
-Religion breeds self-righteousness.
-Ignoring problems rarely fixes them.
-All men are CREATED equal.
-We DO legislate morality.
-Justice does not exist.
-Rely only on yourself.
-Legalize marijuana.
-Gun control kills!
Interesting...the whole "over population" thing is a farce. The problem is governments that can't take care of their people, and horrible weather conditions that prevent the growth of food stuffs.
If you shoved the entire world popluation into the state of Texas...it would equal almost 25,000 people/ sq. mi.
Sound like a lot?
When you compare it to the Chinese city of Huangpu (which has a pop. density of 142,218/ sq. mi.) for almost the same size area. They seem to make it work.
It's a ploy
RaiLS wrote:Reversly though, and off topic, I am against cloning. Creating life in order to cut it up and serve it out like car parts. I just don't like that idea.
I agree - it should not be served up like car parts. It should be served up Italian style with some nice wine.
I've never heard of this "part throttle" before. Does it just bolt on?
Adam Asmus AKA Smus...unique I know wrote:Interesting...the whole "over population" thing is a farce. The problem is governments that can't take care of their people, and horrible weather conditions that prevent the growth of food stuffs.
If you shoved the entire world popluation into the state of Texas...it would equal almost 25,000 people/ sq. mi.
Sound like a lot?
When you compare it to the Chinese city of Huangpu (which has a pop. density of 142,218/ sq. mi.) for almost the same size area. They seem to make it work.
It's a ploy
It's a ploy huh? But to what end? Also, do you think the city of Huanpu is self sufficient? I severely doubt it. So that means massive external resources need to be pumped into it. Suppose everywhere inhabitable was like that. What do you do if everything needs additional outside resourses pumped into it? Suppose the Middle East(and all the other major oil producers) couldn't give us oil because they needed all of it(and more) for themselves?
Now do you realize how much of China is desert? Furthermore, do you realize that is man-made desert? They completely depleted the land in order to support their population. How is that for "making it work?" It works for now - but for how long? Certainly not forever... not even for a relatively long amount of time given the rate we're growing at.
The problem is that we could maybe handle 10 times the current world population - for a while at least - but resources run out and then we can't even support 1000th of the current world population. You see we only can support what we have now due to extensive use of non-renewable resources - mainly oil(which besides pure energy production does have extensive agricultural usage as well for example). Even if we find energy alternatives for cars, factories, power plants etc - we're still screwed if we run out of oil - because our modern high output agriculture is as addicted to the bio-energy of oil as our cars are addicted to the combustion energy. Eventually we won't be able too feed everyone. Many may disagree as to exactly when our oil runs out - but only a blatant idiot thinks it will last forever.
IIRC - deer once got introduced to a deserted island(forget where - maybe canada or greenland) without any predators on that island. Their population soured and expanded exponentially(like ours is now) - indeed they did quite well for a long time - then all of a sudden their population dropped to almost nothing. It was not disease or anything of the sort - and of course with no predators, what killed them? FOOD - since their population was never checked(like ours needs to be) by predators, or anything else - they consumed all available resources(just like we do) until there was nothing left - and all at once they all starved. You don't need to be psychic to see what is going to happen to us when our resources run dry - assuming some massive war doesn't do the job first.
Maybe I can look up the specifics and a link for this later - I'm too tired right now.
I've never heard of this "part throttle" before. Does it just bolt on?
All I can say is I'm glad I'll be dead before we have to face any of these issues.
After oil, the next great wars will be over water.
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on a side note bastardking- the earths oil will NEVER run out. it would just be simply, it would be too hard to get out. rendering it effectively the same as being "out" of it.
Creative Draft Art Media Forums
Bastardking
I can see where you're coming from, but there are a
few differences between humans and deer.
And the thing is, I didn't say you only had that much area. If you would hold everyone to that area, you would have the rest of the planet to use for said resource gathering.
As for resources, it's only a matter of time until we find another source of propultion. Whether it be a different form of combustion or a completely different means of power, I have enough faith in humans and the fact that we could think of something to save our skin.
Not only that, but there will probably be some sort of disease that will bring our population back down to reasonable levels if that would need to be the case.
The way I figure it is that you don't need to worry about something that "might" happen in about 2000 years. Let us figure out the problems we have now or in the semi-near future.
I agree with Augustion.. Water will be the next big fight after oil.. Makes me nervous. In Canada we have large oil reserves and we have more fresh water than anyone.... Trouble is brewing for us.
PAX
This world is over populated
increasing the world's population will create more problems, and it will create more wars.
I do not have any kids, and I hope I'm dead before @!#$ gets worst.
