Engineering the $325,000 Burger • Hacker News Board

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#11

Post by smsm42 » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:19 PM UTC

StavrosK wrote: post #10

jmilkbal wrote: post #4

I have a lot of mixed feelings about developments like this. On one hand, I'll tell people that food for me is about quality and flavor. I'm not opposed to pink slime for what it is, but because it just makes for a poor result. I'm in favor of this on a sustainability level, but very opposed on a quality level—not consistency and reliable textures and taste, but that sort of unquantifiable property that things exude…

Eh, I can give up a bit of "unquantifiable property" if it means that living things don't have to die for it.

You mean "living things that look cute on pictures"? Cell cultures are alive too, and have to die for you to consume them.

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#12

Post by return0 » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:20 PM UTC

I wonder why he had to be funded privately. This seems to me as high priority research.

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#13

Post by StavrosK » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:22 PM UTC

smsm42 wrote: post #11

StavrosK wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, I can give up a bit of "unquantifiable property" if it means that living things don't have to die for it.

You mean "living things that look cute on pictures"? Cell cultures are alive too, and have to die for you to consume them.

I mean "things with nervous systems that can feel pain".

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#14

Post by fchollet » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:22 PM UTC

smsm42 wrote: post #11

StavrosK wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, I can give up a bit of "unquantifiable property" if it means that living things don't have to die for it.

You mean "living things that look cute on pictures"? Cell cultures are alive too, and have to die for you to consume them.

Are you seriously trying to compare individual cells and fully grown mammals? Or are you just trying to be contrarian.

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#15

Post by lifeformed » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:22 PM UTC

jmilkbal wrote: post #4

I have a lot of mixed feelings about developments like this. On one hand, I'll tell people that food for me is about quality and flavor. I'm not opposed to pink slime for what it is, but because it just makes for a poor result. I'm in favor of this on a sustainability level, but very opposed on a quality level—not consistency and reliable textures and taste, but that sort of unquantifiable property that things exude…

It's just a start. There's no reason why we couldn't eventually engineer meat to have all those qualities, and even improve on them. It's just matter.

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#16

Post by aheilbut » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:23 PM UTC

ekurutepe wrote: post #3

Can a vegetarian eat meat if it's grown in lab a dish?

using fetal bovine serum?

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#17

Post by lifeformed » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:23 PM UTC

So who gets to eat it at the event?

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#18

Post by pdog » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:23 PM UTC

cwzwarich wrote: post #6

ekurutepe wrote: post #3

Can a vegetarian eat meat if it's grown in lab a dish?

Depends on the reason you're vegetarian. If it's for ethical reasons, then they probably would. If it's for health reasons, then probably not. If it's for environmental reasons, then it would depend on the environmental impact of in vitro meat.

Don't forget taste -- some vegetarians simply don't like the taste of meat.

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#19

Post by w0utert » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:24 PM UTC

smsm42 wrote: post #11

StavrosK wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, I can give up a bit of "unquantifiable property" if it means that living things don't have to die for it.

You mean "living things that look cute on pictures"? Cell cultures are alive too, and have to die for you to consume them.

Are you implying the primary difference between cell cultures and animals is that the latter 'look cute on pictures'?

Re: Engineering the $325,000 Burger

#20

Post by mostly_harmless » Sun, May 12, 2013, 9:24 PM UTC

smsm42 wrote: post #11

StavrosK wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, I can give up a bit of "unquantifiable property" if it means that living things don't have to die for it.

You mean "living things that look cute on pictures"? Cell cultures are alive too, and have to die for you to consume them.

I think sentient is probably closer to his definition. Yes, vegetables are 'alive', but (as current knowledge) they do not feel. Which reduces the apprehension of eating it.