[FRIAM] do animals psychologize?

[Marcus Daniels]

Polio<https://www.nature.com/news/2002/020712/full/news020708-17.html> was synthesized 16 years ago.    Today, there are even compiler toolchains<http://cidarlab.org/cello/> to do it, and initiatives<http://engineeringbiologycenter.org/> to improve the speed and reliability of synthesis techniques.

Suppose one could, though data mining of full genome sequences, find a genomic signature for a predisposition for some objectionable thing.   Then one could conditionally activate of gene edits:



if (signature_found(genome,FEATURE)) {

   genome = perform_edit(genome,downregulate_progesterone)

}



FEATURE would vary by interest group, religion, and political party, e.g. “likely to have same sex attractions” or “prone to tribalism”.



It would all look like an accident.   I think it is hard to see how something like this won’t happen.



Marcus





On 9/15/18, 7:25 AM, "Friam on behalf of Prof David West" <friam-bounces at redfish.com on behalf of profwest at fastmail.fm> wrote:



    Evidently we already know how to create organisms from a file:



    https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gibson_how_to_build_synthetic_dna_and_send_it_across_the_internet/transcript?language=en



    They did a flu virus vaccine - but it looks like you just as easily print up some anthrax. (Don't know if this is so, it seems like it from what I have read, but I am not a biologist.)



    Scariest part, it appears that the "printer" is Internet accessible. But, of course, it is "secured."



    And again, of course, what one can build so can another.



    If you want some nice science fiction focused on potentially dire (even existential) consequences from existing tech (hacking/games, drones, CRISPR) try Daniel Suarez' Daemon and Freedom; Change Agent; and, Kill Decision.



    davew





    On Fri, Sep 14, 2018, at 2:30 PM, Marcus Daniels wrote:

    > < But it's irresponsible to ignore the material cause: guns.  But those

    > who know me, know I'm an inherent supporter of weapon freedom.  Anyone

    > ought to be able to own (and use) pretty much any weapon they want.  >

    >

    > Without getting in to the usual arguments of that discussion, my 2-faced

    > position (not really) comes with the recent printable gun controversy.

    > If someone wants to share a file, who is to say they can't do it?   And

    > sooner-or-later there will be the possibility of programmable fabricated

    > nano-machines or organisms.    The gun thing is just the tip of the

    > iceberg.   The possibly of genocide scale violence initiated by

    > individuals or small groups will come with it.    What then?

    >

    > Marcus

    >

    >

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