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The Ethical Issues Surrounding OSU's Lab-Grown Brains

Posted by timothy on from the more-of-a-snack-really dept.

TheAlexKnapp writes: Last month, researchers at Ohio State University announced they'd created a "a nearly complete human brain in a dish that equals the brain maturity of a 5-week-old fetus." In the press release, the University hailed this as an "ethical" way to test drugs for neurological disorders. Philosopher Janet Stemwedel, who notes that she works in "the field where we've been thinking about brains in vats for a very long time" highlights some of the ethical issues around this new technology. "We should acknowledge," she says. "that the ethical use of lab-grown human brains is nothing like a no-brainer."

4 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. Re:You're doing it wrong. by PvtVoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    You are supposed to create headless bodies to perform experiments on and harvest organs from.

    Extra points if they're in topless bars.

  2. As a zombie ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... I much prefer free range brains. These GMO brains contain too many death-threatening chemical properties. The last thing I want to do is wake up one morning alive because of my diet.

  3. Re:Let's replace Congress with these lab brains! by timrod · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, you'd turn Congress from a bunch of bodies that lack brains to a bunch of brains that lack bodies?

  4. Re:You're doing it wrong. by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, at what magical point does it become a problem?

    Life begins at erection.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.