In article <5jlmru$s90$1 at rks1.urz.tu-dresden.de>,
weck at rcs.urz.tu-dresden.de writes:
>>Why do we discuss the need of genetically altered food?
>Is there anybody who thinks that we realy need it?
Well, nature thinks you are wrong. . . Nature "thinks" it needs to
genetically alter food. Nature genetically alters all plants, animals,
bacteria, yeasts, molds, viruses, etc. . . . It is called evolution. All
high fructose corn sugar already comes from human genetically altered
corn. All domesticated animals are genetically altered by humans and by
nature. Humans have been breeding for domestication of crops for
somewhere between 14,000 Before Present (BP) to 50,000 BP.
I see two memes operating here:
1. Fear that human potential will cause harm (scientific potential in
this case). A very pessimistic idea and not realistic. Abandoning
change-for-the-better and resignation to the status quo. To avoid harm
and thus avoid fear?
2. The belief that nature "thinks" better than humans do . . . Not
realizing we are part of nature and are natural too. That is to say,
nature, without a design, is better than rational human thought.
Therefore, unplanned evolution is better without human intervention.
Pessimism towards humans in general?
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Yet, who says humans really plan any better than unplanned evolution?
Well, we sure have invented a lot of nice toys to play with, good (e.g.,
fire), evil (e.g., fire) and in-between (e.g., fire).
Toxicology is the science of avoiding harm from some of those toys.
That's why we are doing it. WE _care_ what happens and WE are going
_plan_ as much as possible, not "letting nature take its course," . . .
which would mean death.
Davin
Davin C. Enigl, (Sole Proprietorship) MEAS
President-Microbiologist
Microbiology Consulting, Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Points (HACCP), CGMP, and Validations
for the Food, Cosmetic, Nutritional Supplement, and Pharmaceutical
Industry
enigl at aol.comhttp://members.aol.com/enigl/index.html
April 24, 1997
9:01 pm
