>Does everyone understand what they eat? how electricity works? how their smartphone works? the drugs their doctor prescribes?
True, but you always have to balance them with the potential issues that could arise. I don't understand how drugs works, and that's why I need a doctor's prescription to take them. Many people don't know much about electricity, and that's why there are laws regulating how electric wirings have to be made and that say that only trained electricians can do wirings in homes. Many people don't understand how smartphones work, but what's the greatest damage that can result from this and how likely is it to happen?
I mean... regulations are actually a lot more flexible than you're implying.
I was looking to wire up some solar panels to a cottage in the countryside. Since municipal regulations didn't apply, provincial ones did, which were that if you've built the structure for your own occupancy and follow the electrical code, this is completely legal.
So the code applies, but it's not restricted to trained electricians in some cases.
Same goes for drugs in much of the world. Personally I think it's a little ridiculous people need to get a script for stuff like viagra or tretinoin or finasteride.
It becomes almost farcical when online clinics exist which will do a consultation without obtaining medical records or even seeing you via video and write you a script. Or that celebrities can get private doctors who will write them whatever. Or when you consider most countries outside NA and the EU where you can get pretty much whatever you want OTC.
Not to mention you can order TONS of different research chemicals and "nootropics", completely legally, online.
If you were to pass a regulation that was essentially "only registered genetic engineers can experiment in any way with this" it would be way more restrictive than anything we have for pharmaceuticals, or even domestic electricity.
What you're suggesting would be on par with regulations for nuclear technology. IDK seems maybe a bit excessive...
That wasn't what I was suggesting. I think it is reckless to try to persuade people into trying genetic engineering on themselves (one of the examples that the man showed in the documentary, was about injecting into your arm modified cells to make your muscles grow bigger).
But I'm fine with people using kits to have fun making a plant that glows in the dark, as long as they take care of not releasing the results of their experiments in the environment.
Absolutely agree. And while I don't recommend anyone to try this out on a DIY basis, historically a lot inventions we take for granted and have made our life better came from people literally tinkering around with stuff and slowly figuring out what works.
True, but you always have to balance them with the potential issues that could arise. I don't understand how drugs works, and that's why I need a doctor's prescription to take them. Many people don't know much about electricity, and that's why there are laws regulating how electric wirings have to be made and that say that only trained electricians can do wirings in homes. Many people don't understand how smartphones work, but what's the greatest damage that can result from this and how likely is it to happen?