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The Forum > Article Comments > 'Just a spot of bother' for stem cell researchers > Comments

'Just a spot of bother' for stem cell researchers : Comments

By Michael Cook, published 19/1/2006

Michael Cook argues after Hwang Woo-suk's fraud the continuation of Australian stem cell research should be re-evaluated.

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Fallacy of false analogy, Michael. The US space shuttle program is in no way comparable to stem cell research, as well you know. Are there hundreds of shuttle programs? No. Are there hundreds of teams working on embryonic stem cells? Yes. Had there been only Hwang's team, there would have been good reason to can the research. But fraud by one team does not discredit the field in general. A more appropriate analogy would have been cold fusion – the search for a means of producing it remains a tantalising and legitimate field of inquiry despite earlier fraudulent claims by one team of researchers that they had done so.

It is also arguable that sloppy grammar can be indicative of sloppy thought. With that in mind, consider this quote
"Australian stem cell scientists are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. For years they have said, and the media has repeated, that human embryos are no more than blobs of jelly. The public believed this because they were high-minded and successful."

Er, WHO were high-minded? The public? The embryos? The media?

Four out of ten, I'm afraid. Must try harder.
Posted by anomie, Thursday, 19 January 2006 12:22:13 PM
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exactly did Russia, china, or ESA stop their space programs becuase NASA crashed?
Michael would have us hiding in caves eating dirt scared of the sky gods.
Posted by Kenny, Thursday, 19 January 2006 12:49:44 PM
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What I do not understand is why should we stop this research to investigate the "fraud".

What are the ethical and scientific stakes?

So did Hwang lie about the source of his egg supply or he did not actually get eggs from these women who volenteered? One last thing, What are the risks to donating eggs?
Posted by simple_simon, Thursday, 19 January 2006 6:05:55 PM
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Yet another diatribe from the pro-life lobby.

You can tell by the well reheased rhetoric, in fact it is published on their website. Never mention religion or morals call it ethics.

William McBride was found to have committed "scientific fraud" but he saved hundreds or thousands from Thalidomide. He also changed the evaluation of drugs worldwide.

We have just had an enquiry headed by an ex High Court Judge. Michael your side lost the arguement, but of course that will not stop your propaganda.

The only people who object to eSCR are god botherers please admit that you are.

Its time to come out of the closet.
Posted by Steve Madden, Thursday, 19 January 2006 6:47:02 PM
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Have a look at:

http://www.mercatornet.com/content/blogsection/4/36/

"The editor of MercatorNet is Michael Cook, a Melbourne journalist who has edited the family magazine Perspective for a number of years and contributes to American and Australian magazine and newspapers as a freelance. He also edits an international bioethics newsletter,"

Mercatornet carries articles which seem to be opposed to:

Voluntary euthanasia.
The "morning-after" pill.
Poulation control.
Same-sex unions.
Stem cell research.

Another article on womens' fashion stresses the importance of "modesty". If this sounds like it may be reasonable, then read the article and check some of the supposed implications.

I think we all know where Michael is coming from.
Posted by Rex, Thursday, 19 January 2006 6:57:32 PM
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Rather the re evaluating stem cell research, perhaps its time that
the Catholics reviewed the dogma of the holy sperms, according to
Onan. The Catholics screwed up badly on that dogma, but of course now they are in a corner, having declared the pope infallible and the dogma infallible. It took them 400 years to admit that Galileo
was right after all, how long will it take them to admit that they are wrong on this one ?
Posted by Yabby, Thursday, 19 January 2006 11:33:00 PM
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