News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome. Parent comment

Re:Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome by throwawayaway on Friday March 20, 2015 @07:51AM (#9237109)
one man's defect is another's feature. the old bug vs. feature debate, applies here. maybe my thinking has been horribly warped by over exposure to computing.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome by ticking on Friday March 20, 2015 @08:54AM (#9237337)
Bullshit. I'm in my early 20s and have MS. That is not a feature.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome by Fiahil on Friday March 20, 2015 @10:05AM (#9237768)
What is MS?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome by throwawayaway on Friday March 20, 2015 @10:09AM (#9237782)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_sclerosis
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome by Patrikvo on Friday March 20, 2015 @08:16AM (#9237188)
If it required medication, surgery or the use of an aid (like glasses) it's clearly not a feature.

I've had to wear glasses since I was 4 and would have been very happy if this would have been fixed before being born.

But I agree not everything is so clear cut.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome by josinalvo on Friday March 20, 2015 @08:58AM (#9237355)
?

At any rate, I'd prefer to decide myself what is a feature, rather than having some 'ethicist' decide for me.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome by GotAnyMegadeth on Friday March 20, 2015 @09:56AM (#9237710)
Perhaps what features you select is determined by another feature that some else selected for you
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome by maxerickson on Friday March 20, 2015 @10:16AM (#9237821)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_mutation#Specific_disease...

None of those are features (and they are "perfect targets" for gene therapy because we have a thorough understanding of the consequences of the edit).

Sickle cell anemia gets trotted around because carriers are somewhat resistant to malaria, but it turns out that everyone who had the choice eradicated malaria rather than deal with it. And people that have two copies of the mutation are more susceptible to malaria.

[ Parent | on HN ]