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Stem Cell Research Bill Clears Australian Senate
jaunty writes "A private members bill has passed the Australian senate which paves the way for the cloning of embryos to gather stem cells. While it only passed by a narrow margin it is expected to gain support in the House. From the article: 'The final shape of the bill is now subject to further debate on amendments including measures to toughen penalties for breaches of cloning regulations, and possibly a move to stop the use of animal tissue in the cloning process.'"
IQ is no indicator of evolution. It's a meaningless number.
Besides, evolution does not occur over the span of 50 years (for humans, anyway). We do not "look different" than we did 50 years ago. Styles and fashion have changed, and people in the spotlight are a whole lot thinner, but that's about it.
We simply do not have the longevity or the records currently to determine whether we still evolving and a "normal" rate. My guess is that we as a people are going to get "dumber", since "dumber" people tend to have more babies than others. However there is no evidence to make such a claim either way; it's just opinion.
Evolution, the way Darwin described it, does not continue in the human race. Darwin's model of evolution is a science of "Natural Selection." This is otherwise known as "survival of the fittest".
Humans are not a people who promote this concept. We put our sick in hospitals, we extend the lives of the terminally ill, we allow people with disease to live, we pay taxes to aid the disabled.
I am not against any of these things. They are the morally right thing to do.
However, they inhibit evolution. By allowing people with genetic disorders or family histories of genetic disorders to procreate and pass on their traits we are destroying Natural Selection.
People who are blind recieve disability pay. Animals who are blind (and normally aren't) get killed and eaten.
People who can't walk get special privileges to help make their daily lives more manageable. Animals who can't travel under there own power get killed and eaten.
People who have genetic disabilites such as Parkinsons, Epilepsy, and Cerberal Palsy, or family histories of disease e.g. Diabetes, High Cholestorol, Heart Problems get taken care of in medical treatment facilities largely funded by tax money.
Animals with genetic disabilities or disease get... you guessed it... killed and eaten.
Animals follow the path of Survival of the Fittest evolution, humans do everything we can to hinder that process. We do not evolve the way Darwin explained it. We evolve emotionally, culturally, and technologically, but not physically. This may be the ultimate downfall of mankind as diseases like the Avian Flu and Cancer are simply too much for our weak bodies to handle. Diseases and Viruses continue to evolve physically leaving us in the dust.
Stem Cell research needs to make up for our lack of physical evolution by finding cures to diseases that will otherwise cause the extinction of our race.