13 votes

Humanzee

7 comments

  1. [2]
    googs
    Link
    On 2019 unconfirmed reports of a project led by Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte at Salk Institute of Biological Studies, said to have successfully produced the first human-monkey chimeras I find this...

    On 2019 unconfirmed reports of a project led by Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte at Salk Institute of Biological Studies, said to have successfully produced the first human-monkey chimeras

    Due to the much larger evolutionary distance between humans and monkeys, vs. humans and chimpanzees, it is considered unlikely that true human-monkey hybrids could be brought to term. However, it is feasible that human-compatible organs for transplantation could be grown in these chimeras.

    I find this concept incredibly unsettling and it raises so many questions.

    • Would such a chimera have some degree of human-like consciousness?
    • Is it morally reprehensible to create such a chimera with the knowledge that it has no chance of survival?
    • Does reasoning behind the creation of the chimera matter? If we are creating one for the sole intent of research, is that more morally acceptable than creating one in order to harvest and make use of its organs? Or is it the other way around, since those organs have the potential to save human lives?
    • Has science gone too far? (or I guess, will it go to far?)
    5 votes
    1. mrbig
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Maybe. But babies don’t have human consciousness as we usually define, they’re much closer to other primates than most think. Other questions will come later, if and only if the hybrid survive...

      Would such a chimera have some degree of human-like consciousness?

      Maybe. But babies don’t have human consciousness as we usually define, they’re much closer to other primates than most think. Other questions will come later, if and only if the hybrid survive long enough—which is unlikely. In the meantime, there are people advocating for large primates personhood right now.

      Is it morally reprehensible to create such a chimera with the knowledge that it has no chance of survival?

      Most certainly.

      Does reasoning behind the creation of the chimera matter?...

      Absolutely.

      Has science gone too far? (or I guess, will it go to far?)

      When it comes to humanzees, not yet at least.

      4 votes
  2. [5]
    mrbig
    Link

    The humanzee (Homo sapiens sapiens × Pan) is a hypothetical hybrid of chimpanzee and human. Serious attempts to create such a hybrid have been made. The portmanteau word humanzee for a human–chimpanzee hybrid appears to have entered usage in the 1980s.

    2 votes
    1. [4]
      acdw
      Link Parent
      [citation needed] on that one, I think.

      Serious attempts to create such a hybrid have been made.

      [citation needed] on that one, I think.

      1. [3]
        crdpa
        Link Parent
        It's in the wiki article.

        It's in the wiki article.

        4 votes
        1. acdw
          Link Parent
          oh shoot, I didn't read further down.. oops!

          oh shoot, I didn't read further down.. oops!