pynchon-l-digest V2 #2003

[FrodeauxB at aol.com]

As Barbara said, evil is not autonomus-and neither are our tools (including 
that wonderfully vague term "technology"), among which are both organic and 
inorganic ones. A long time ago, I proffered the theory that our tools are 
us. They are not independent of our will, they are our agents. In view of the 
havoc which can and has been wrought with simple tools such as a hammer, one 
has to question a collective intelligence which sees no harm or downside to 
stem cell research. It is simply facile and pollyanish to say 1)...er, if we 
don't, they will; 2) it's already going on so...;3) some good will come of 
it. If only life were so simple as scientists and the MD's would have us 
believe. Myself, I've had enough of their pretensious playing of God. It's 
time to tell them we don't want a value free life. It's time to tell them 
that actions have consequences, and it is totally irresponsible of these 
"cutting edge" maniacs to  begin to quit their carping about it's not their 
job to worry about the consequences of their work. Whoa, before you start it, 
I have been there. I served on a committee to consider the legal implications 
of what is so quaintly called "assisted reproduction." 
Those envelope pushers are scary-they really don't seem to give a damn. But, 
I digress... Let's all be grown ups and accept the fact that we are 
responsible for what we do. Hey, if we do that, we just might start thinking 
before we act. Imagine that-quite revolutionary/retro, don't you think? A pox 
on all their houses.
Help comes from the hands of the weak when the wise falter. J. R. R.  
Tolkien, The Silmarillion

TTFN

frodeauxb