Theos-Talk Archives (August 2001 Message tt00243)

> Hi Doss,
>
> Within the cloning story, hybrids are a special case IMO,
> ethically, that is. I just don't think we humans should
> make hybrids. Though the definition of human should
> probably be the ability to talk. This will create further
> fuziness with regard to for instance mentally retarded
> people. These are called people now, though HPB might
> disagree. But when the definition becomes *is able to talk*
> (in sign language or with words) the result becomes gross.

They have taught gorillas and chimpanzees to use sign language to
express themselves. Some of the Chimps taught it to their offspring
later on.

One of the famous Gorillas asked for and received a kitten for a pet,
and named it "Ball". She expressed much grief also, when Ball wandered
onto a hiway and was run over by a car. Upon seeing a jet airplane
flying overhead, she asked to go for a ride on the plane, but, I think
that request was denied.

Then there is the story of a old lady who had a bad fall which was in
the news in the last month. A pig came to its owner and convinced him
to follow the pig, who took him across the property to a fence, where
a horse was waiting, who led the man across his fenced field to the
other side, where he discovered the lady injured and unable to get up.

I think perhaps this happened in Britian.

Other species are able to think, and communicate with us, and others.

20 years ago, I had an accident that broke the larnyx. I have
recovered a limited ability to talk. -about 80%.

If the ability to talk is the bench-mark, then someone can be born
human, and through an accident, become in-human, which I suppose would
be a great benefit to employerers who are burdened by government
regulations making them provide accomodations for all sorts of
handicaped people.

Perhaps the definition needs to be refined.

Dennis