How far off is humanity from being able to synthesise a living being purely from matter that did not come from another living being?
Just a random thought: if we did that, we’d probably be using information from another living being. Does it matter so much where the actual atoms come from?
Does it matter so much where the actual atoms come from?
Various religions predict that humans can’t create life, that being a power reserved solely for deities (according to their theology).
We don’t have to understand what they mean by “life” or “create life”, nor does what they mean have to be well defined, in order for us to understand that it is (to them) an important issue and that when scientists do this it will have real social consequences, which are worth thinking about and planning for in advance.
Well, obviously not; all atoms of the same type are the same. I assumed he meant molecules. (As in, able to synthesize all biologically relevant molecules. All molecules of the same type are the same too, of course.)
Just a random thought: if we did that, we’d probably be using information from another living being. Does it matter so much where the actual atoms come from?
Various religions predict that humans can’t create life, that being a power reserved solely for deities (according to their theology).
We don’t have to understand what they mean by “life” or “create life”, nor does what they mean have to be well defined, in order for us to understand that it is (to them) an important issue and that when scientists do this it will have real social consequences, which are worth thinking about and planning for in advance.
Well, obviously not; all atoms of the same type are the same. I assumed he meant molecules. (As in, able to synthesize all biologically relevant molecules. All molecules of the same type are the same too, of course.)