August 24, 2006

  • This just in from the scientific news front:  "A biotechnology company has developed a new way of creating stem cells without destroying human embryos, billing it as a potential solution to a contentious political and ethical debate."


    I think this is wonderful technology.  Now we can harvest stem cells (actually just one cell) from the blastocyst without "killing the human being" and then when we're done, flush those blastocysts down the toilet like God and nature intended.  Actually, I don't know that they're flushed down the toilet, they are allowed to thaw and then I'm not sure how they're disposed of, but flushing them, like we do with a lot of medical waste, seems likely.


    Next week I start the masters program in bioethics.  Being the nerd that I am (not really, I'm joking, I'm not a nerd) I've already read the entire textbook for one of the classes and am working on the second. I read about three other bioethics textbooks over the summer as well. I'm excited about it.


    I must admit though that I felt a bit weird buying a couple of folders in the "back to school" section of Target surrounded by grade-schoolers.


    I bought some back to school clothes too.  Since the masters program is internet based I just bought boxer shorts.


    I'm ready to start posting again.  I'm looking forward to writing about the perspective of being a student and a professor at the same time.  I'm looking forward to bringing to the bioethics table the perspective of one that's been where the rubber meets the road. 


    Who knows, maybe when this is all over I'll even understand why using blastocysts for stem cell research is less ethical than flushing them down the toilet.  I haven't got to that part in any of the texts yet.  


     

Comments (4)

  • I read about the stem cell business. Very interesting.

    Glad you will be posting againg.

  • LOL. You are so the nerd too. Nothing wrong with being a nerd...

  • Pretentious contentious political bastards!

    ryc: The migraine came before the tap.

  • Good luck with bioethics.  The courses I took in college were miserable, but I think a lot of that had to do with the professor.

    Also, I read about the "new" stem cell and am really excited - maybe finally some great, helpful research can get done without the pissing and moaning of the Bible belt.

    P.S.  I spent my time at Glacier National.  I hiked over 40 miles in 5 days.  I loved it.  Better than Yellowstone, better than the Grand Canyon...but maybe that's just because there was no one to run into....

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