Posted by Willem on March 08, 1998 at 04:34:12:
Presently the discussion in the Netherlands on cloning is ongoing as a result of the declined request by the governement for a license to clone cows for production of proteins . That reminded me of one of Vance's best books (IMO): To Live Forever published in 1956.
The five? cloned people per Amaranth and the principle arguments used by the hero (Waylock) at the end of the book are very similar compared to arguments in Dutch newspapers. e.g. Is it ethical to make a clone of yourself and to use organs? (answers untill now: NO)
Any idea's on this topic?
btw Waylock is one of my favorites as a hero. The only mistake he made (IMHO) is that he never followed up on the injection fluid that helped him so much when he worked in the institute for mentally deranged. It is also a less positive aspect of his relation to the friend that helped him (could be the subject of another discussion line about the hero's of Vance)
In the same book Vance is very early in describing recreational drugs and emotion influencing substances far before Valium started to be used.
Recreational drugs is a topic nowadays as young kids are using extasy in a higher frequency then paracetamol.
Other early idea's from Vance that are coming true nowadays?
Willem