Genetically engineer cows to not feel pain?

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Huseng
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Genetically engineer cows to not feel pain?

Post by Huseng »

We are most likely stuck with factory farms, given that they produce most of the beef and pork Americans consume. But it is still possible to reduce the animals’ discomfort — through neuroscience. Recent advances suggest it may soon be possible to genetically engineer livestock so that they suffer much less.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/opini ... river.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I find this extremely disturbing -- that educated people, the leaders of society, would devote time to genetically warping animals to not feel pain to support the gluttony of humanity.
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catmoon
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Re: Genetically engineer cows to not feel pain?

Post by catmoon »

Uh, wouldn't the absence of pain lead to leprous lesions?
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kirtu
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Re: Genetically engineer cows to not feel pain?

Post by kirtu »

catmoon wrote:Uh, wouldn't the absence of pain lead to leprous lesions?
Why would that be?

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
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DharmaKitty
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Re: Genetically engineer cows to not feel pain?

Post by DharmaKitty »

kirtu wrote:
catmoon wrote:Uh, wouldn't the absence of pain lead to leprous lesions?
Why would that be?

Kirt
I'm not sure about the lesions but I do know that pain is the bodies way of telling us, and animals, that something is wrong, and if we don't have that I believe it will cause a host of other problems! The whole idea is astonishing!
The essence of a real practice is to bring our intellectual understanding to the level of our heart - so as to feel it - to live it!
ball-of-string
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Re: Genetically engineer cows to not feel pain?

Post by ball-of-string »

When will silly humans learn that the more they tinker with the genetics of the food they eat, the more they are causing problems for themselves.
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catmoon
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Re: Genetically engineer cows to not feel pain?

Post by catmoon »

The lesions common to leprosy are an indirect result of the loss of the ability to feel pain. For instance the hands get bruised pounded cut and burned. But the owner feels nothing and tends to do nothing about the injury, and then decay sets in.
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kirtu
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Re: Genetically engineer cows to not feel pain?

Post by kirtu »

catmoon wrote:The lesions common to leprosy are an indirect result of the loss of the ability to feel pain. For instance the hands get bruised pounded cut and burned. But the owner feels nothing and tends to do nothing about the injury, and then decay sets in.
WOW! Bad news. Of course it's a bad idea anyway.

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
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