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US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

nytimes.com

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Re: US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

#61

Post by JustAnotherPat »

yegle wrote: post #4

The intention seems legit, despite the concern. Quote from the article: The pathogen to be modified must pose a serious health threat, and the work must produce knowledge — such as a vaccine — that would benefit humans. Finally, there must be no safer way to do the research.

I mean, even if the intention was to create a bioweapon to use in war, you would think the work would still fit those two parameters.

And how do you know the work will 'produce knowledge?'

A vaccine is impossible to guarantee.

Re: US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

#62

Post by emodendroket »

wasx wrote: post #55
emodendroket wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you take this argument to its logical conclusion there is no point arguing about the law in the first place.

Their criticism wasn't of the law but of the undue influence of lobbyists in the American political system.

If you "cannot trust regulators or legislators at the federal level" how can you trust the laws? Who writes them, and who enforces them, if not legislators and regulators, respectively?

Re: US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

#63

Post by [deleted] »

emodendroket wrote: post #40
jknoepfler wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure why this is being downvoted, other than that it isn't precise. I'm general you can't trust regulators or legislators at the federal level.

If you take this argument to its logical conclusion there is no point arguing about the law in the first place.

[deleted]

Re: US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

#64

Post by crimsonalucard »

chrisper wrote: post #60

You know how when you watch movies and because you know so much about tech you can tell that most of the stuff done in movies regarding hacking etc is bullshit and not real. Now I have a lack in knowledge of biology at this level, but can someone maybe explain to me how all those disease mass extinction movies cannot be real? I feel like my lack of knowledge here causes my concerns when reading stuff like this articl…

Ebola is one such virus. In terms of evolution these viruses tend to burn out by killing the host. Evolutionary pressures push viruses towards symbiotic equilibrium. Thus in the worst case scenario there will be survivors who are immune or the virus or the virus will burn out until the only strain left does not harm humans. The later was the case with ebola.

Re: US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

#66

Post by s0l1dsnak3123 »

chrisper wrote: post #60

You know how when you watch movies and because you know so much about tech you can tell that most of the stuff done in movies regarding hacking etc is bullshit and not real. Now I have a lack in knowledge of biology at this level, but can someone maybe explain to me how all those disease mass extinction movies cannot be real? I feel like my lack of knowledge here causes my concerns when reading stuff like this articl…

Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I'm also glad that I'm aware to some extent of how what I don't know might obscure my judgement - I think a lot of people don't get exposed to the amount of cross-discipline junctures in knowledge that people in tech do.

Re: US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

#67

Post by phjesusthatguy3 »

phjesusthatguy3 wrote: post #59
emodendroket wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you take this argument to its logical conclusion there is no point arguing about the law in the first place.

The Law is "keep your appendages to yourself". Apparently I am my brother's keeper and I need to tell y'all that, because y'all can't do it.

Why aren't you white men keeping each other from raping people? This is clearly an issue; even white women come forward and complain about it. Maybe the president should bar white men from entering the country because they rape so much.

Re: US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

#68

Post by ethbro »

AnkhMorporkian wrote: post #35
djsumdog wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If non-reputable agencies wanted to do illegal research, there is literally nothing that would stop them. Look at NSA spying, MKUltra, and the failed nerve gas test that killed hundreds of sheep. The US still has the largest arsenal of nerve gas in the world, much of it which is still in the queue to be destroyed, much of it still leaking.

I haven't heard anything about continued leaking. Any sources on that? Googling turns up nothing besides the sheep incident.

Not sure I want to Google "where is US military nerve gas stockpiled?"

Re: US Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

#69

Post by wasx »

emodendroket wrote: post #62
wasx wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their criticism wasn't of the law but of the undue influence of lobbyists in the American political system.

If you "cannot trust regulators or legislators at the federal level" how can you trust the laws? Who writes them, and who enforces them, if not legislators and regulators, respectively?

Right but they're not saying they don't trust regulators and legislators as a concept, they're saying they don't trust them when they're basically writing what lobbyists tell them to. It's right they don't trust the law, but their criticism isn't of law and regulation. It's of lobbyists.
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