I would agree with you that the quoted statement is not terribly persuasive. I was simply encapsulating the actual argument at hand, instead of the straw-man argument of “method versus outcome.” And while the vagueness diminishes the magnitude of the evidence, I don’t believe it makes it non-zero.
To your second point:
in the context of “it’s been fine for 20 years but we’re not sure about the really long term”, I don’t see how the “rapid and intricate” quality is relevant.
I would add to ChristianKI’s apt reply that while conventional modifications via breeding can eventually have monumental effects, direct genetic modification can rapidly—over the course of a single generation—have monumental effects that may have unintended side effects attached to them due to a lack of understanding of the intricacies of genetic interactions.
I can’t find any sense in ChristianKl’s answer, but maybe that’s just me.
My basic problem with your position is that “conventional modifications via breeding” are better described as picking from a set of random mutations those where the phenotype looks appealing. I don’t know why you think it’s a safe method, especially compared with making targeted genetic changes directly.
I completely agree that breeding methods have their own flaws, which we certainly have seen come to dangerous fruition (pun definitely intended).
I also concede that breeding is quite slow in improving a plant, where direct modification would be much faster.
I furthermore agree that direct genetic modification is the future of crop improvement. Given that we better master the techniques and better understand the genomes in play every year, eventually direct gene modification will lack any of the uncertainty that I invoke right now.
But I likewise think it is not unreasonable to say that it is more likely that we would stumble upon a sudden unfortunate side-effect of our modifications by direct modification, because we would lack the evolutionary “safeguards” that have kept biological life going so far.
In any case: I’m clearly not expressing my ideas cogently enough to be productive in this venue, and it’s taken on the whiff of partisan politics. Especially awkward since I am on the same “side” as you: I think there is insufficient evidence to mandate GMO labeling, but I don’t like it when “my side” refuses to engage in what I see as reasonable concerns from the “enemy.” Once again: not productive.
Yes, I understand we’re on the same side. The difference is you think the anti-GMO people have some sort of a case, not quite convincing, but a case. And I think they don’t have a case at all and are engaged in spreading pure FUD. I see no reason to search for middle ground with FUD.
I would agree with you that the quoted statement is not terribly persuasive. I was simply encapsulating the actual argument at hand, instead of the straw-man argument of “method versus outcome.” And while the vagueness diminishes the magnitude of the evidence, I don’t believe it makes it non-zero.
To your second point:
I would add to ChristianKI’s apt reply that while conventional modifications via breeding can eventually have monumental effects, direct genetic modification can rapidly—over the course of a single generation—have monumental effects that may have unintended side effects attached to them due to a lack of understanding of the intricacies of genetic interactions.
I can’t find any sense in ChristianKl’s answer, but maybe that’s just me.
My basic problem with your position is that “conventional modifications via breeding” are better described as picking from a set of random mutations those where the phenotype looks appealing. I don’t know why you think it’s a safe method, especially compared with making targeted genetic changes directly.
I completely agree that breeding methods have their own flaws, which we certainly have seen come to dangerous fruition (pun definitely intended).
I also concede that breeding is quite slow in improving a plant, where direct modification would be much faster.
I furthermore agree that direct genetic modification is the future of crop improvement. Given that we better master the techniques and better understand the genomes in play every year, eventually direct gene modification will lack any of the uncertainty that I invoke right now.
But I likewise think it is not unreasonable to say that it is more likely that we would stumble upon a sudden unfortunate side-effect of our modifications by direct modification, because we would lack the evolutionary “safeguards” that have kept biological life going so far.
In any case: I’m clearly not expressing my ideas cogently enough to be productive in this venue, and it’s taken on the whiff of partisan politics. Especially awkward since I am on the same “side” as you: I think there is insufficient evidence to mandate GMO labeling, but I don’t like it when “my side” refuses to engage in what I see as reasonable concerns from the “enemy.” Once again: not productive.
Yes, I understand we’re on the same side. The difference is you think the anti-GMO people have some sort of a case, not quite convincing, but a case. And I think they don’t have a case at all and are engaged in spreading pure FUD. I see no reason to search for middle ground with FUD.