On 22-7-2009 23:43, Darren New wrote:
> andrel wrote:
>> Reality check: would my ethics change if there was an intermediate 
>> (sub)species between humans an chimps? 
> 
> You mean like Neanderthal? Otherwise, you're going to have to define 
> "subspecies". :-)
> 
That was meant in the context of reversing some of the mutations that 
separate us from the chimps (or retrofitting our mutations in them*). At 
some point the 'result' will probably still be able to interbreed with 
humans but be a clear subspecies with different characteristics. Halfway 
down the process I expect that there will be a true species that can not 
interbreed with us, bonobos, or chimps. Unlikely, but possibly, it would 
be able to mate with all, which would, I think, technically mean we 
would all become subspecies of this human/chimp complex. So that is why 
I put '(sub)' in parentheses, because I don't know. I wasn't referring 
to Neanderthal or forensis or any other humanoid that has existed.

* you can do experiments on chimps. I think such a breeding experiment 
would not even be illegal, contrary to the route starting with a human. 
Though somewhere along the line you would hit a legal wall, when the 
chimp becomes too human. Can we predict in advance when that will be? If 
not, can we afterwards decide that we did cross the line?

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