Extracellular Matrix--Are We Playing God?

[maildude]

60 Minutes just aired a story about the new use of Extracellular Matrix or ECM. Using the ECM around various organs and tissues, scientists have been able to regrow limbs, livers, ears and even bones, but these same scientists seems very cautionary. Here is an explanation.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-extracellular-matrix.htm

 

[BlueBalls]

Are we playing God? No.
Is this just another phase in the development in medicine and science? Yes.

Should it be feared? No.

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

If Spider-Man has taught me anything, it's that regrowing limbs turns you into a giant homicidal lizard who wears purple pants.

 

[Facetious]

I don't moult.... I don't wanna moult :uohs::hatsoff:

What we have here is a double edged sword just like every other advancement or discovery.
First there was A Flintlock, then there was a Howitzer .... :ak47:

Who gets to control the discretion is the problem.

 

[whoremaker]

Nearly every major medical advancement in history has been met with accusations of "God playing." This will be like those others, however, and simply bring about longer, better lives. No worries.

 

[Wainkerr99]

Nope. Got brains, use 'em.

 

[StanScratch]

Are we playing God? No.
Is this just another phase in the development in medicine and science? Yes.

Should it be feared? No.

But will people who do not understand science fear it simply because it is science? Yes.

 

[BlueBalls]

But will people who do not understand science fear it simply because it is science? Yes.

Of course, but these people do not need to be thought about in any large amount of detail.

But then again they always turn out to be our politicians, don't they? :ban:

 

[FlyingWallaby]

I'm reminded of a line from one of the most under-rated and (should've been) multiple award winning films, 1980's Motel Hell:

Terry: "What gives you the right to play God?"

Vincent: "I'm not playing God. I wouldn't even know where to start, I'm just helping out."

:rofl:

 

[Rey C.]

60 Minutes is the best show on network television, IMO. That piece absolutely blew me away! I had no idea such things were even possible until I saw that. From growing tissue around moulds to create organs, to actually getting tissue to regenerate inside the body - wow! And the fellow who had the fully functioning hand, taken from a cadaver?! :eek: Truly amazing stuff!

 

[mrtrebus]

Yes it is playing god.
But why shouldn't we?
After all, we invented him!
:hatsoff:
:tongue:

 

[redwolf]

It is fascinating stuff.

 

[DJCowboy]

I never buy the "playing god" thing when it comes to this type of thing. if you cure someone with cancer or a heart defect, is that not playing god? god obviously wanted that person to die but medical advancements stopped that. but maybe that person got sick so we can make better advancements. what i'm saying is we don't know what god wants if there is one so let's just continue on.

i'd like for someone who believes this is wrong to explain to a paralyzed person or to a war veteran who lost a limb or two why they shouldn't get another chance at living a regular life. oh wait, it's because He wanted it that way for us to only go so far in medical science

 

[D-rock]

The tools that mankind has made can always be misused for evil, but if our ancestors feared what might have happened with sharpened tools because of the suffering they might have brought about we would have never advanced past the Stone Age. The use of science for wrongful ends will always be there, but that doesn’t mean we should shun all further advancement of science.

 

[sporty_carr]

I don't see what's wrong with it. It's the same as inventing new types of medicine.

Now cloning, on the other hand.........

 

[Jack Davenport]

John Bobbit is ecstatic at this news.

 

[Red Spyder]

As long as they don't clone dinosaurs next, that could be dangerous. Cloning organs would be a good idea IMMHO maybe no longer will I have to fear going to Mexico and then waking up in a bathtub full of ice without my kidneys if kidneys and other organs were cloned.

 

[motimerbog]

This seems like the plot to a zombie movie

 

[calpoon]

Shrug. If God has a problem with it, then let Him do something about it.

God never fixes things, he just lets them fuck up in the first place and expects us to take care of it. What good is He?

 

[JakeSnake]

Yes it is playing god.
But why shouldn't we?
After all, we invented him!
:hatsoff:
:tongue:

Well said!