Humanzee!!

A leading scientist has warned a new species of "humanzee," created from breeding apes with humans, could become a reality unless the government acts to stop scientists experimenting.

In an interview with The Scotsman, Dr Calum MacKellar, director of research at the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, warned the controversial draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill did not prevent human sperm being inseminated into animals.

Let's set aside whether this will ever actually happen. If it did, how should we treat the humanzee born to the world of a human mother? What rights would it have if any and on what basis would we assign rights to it?

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Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on May 20, 2014 at 6:44am

Since humanzees would necessarily be super religious owing to their self awareness combined with their stunted intellectualism, I would respect their rights to gather and worship.

Permalink Reply by John Major on May 20, 2014 at 8:35am
Haha. Maybe they exist already!
Permalink Reply by Obfuskation on May 20, 2014 at 10:26am

Being a Scotsman, you'd think he would be more concerned about breeding humans with sheep.

Permalink Reply by Morghan on May 20, 2014 at 10:40am
Why am I disgusted by this? Lol
Permalink Reply by John Major on May 20, 2014 at 11:49am
It is interesting to speculate how a humanzee may assist in medical advancement. Would we have a right to use such a creature in this way? What if was capable of refusing? What criteria would we use to distinguish whether it was a person or property?
Permalink Reply by Pope Beanie on May 21, 2014 at 9:55pm

I don't think full-on interbreeding would provide much opportunity for useful research. Currently we're tweaking individual genes in several animals, even fruit flies, for useful research on specific disease inducement and/or specific treatments.

Playing with a one-shot half and half breed would be highly unethical, when we have no clue about what the results may be. I'd precict the results could be horrid, even if the fetus could reach full term.

Permalink Reply by Ed on May 20, 2014 at 8:59pm

With a 99% DNA match between the two you would think the probability of successful mating to be more attainable.

Permalink Reply by Pope Beanie on May 21, 2014 at 10:05pm

We share maybe 50% of our genes with bananas. That 1% difference with chimps accounts for huge differences. Imagine thewide range of differences among dog breeds, and they share exactly the same set of genes. (The differences in dog breeds lie solely in which version of each gene gets expressed, e.g. coat color, jaw size, floppy versus stiff ear, how small or large specific bones grow, an so on.)

Permalink Reply by Lewal on May 20, 2014 at 12:30pm
We'd have to recognize it as having human rights the same as we'd have to recognize a Neanderthal's human rights. But we could reasonably given him or her as many rights as a child or severely mentally disabled adult, as he or she may be suffering from some mental setbacks. For example, being half chimp, he or she may be more aggressive. And the teenage years... ohhh brother.

I'd consider breeding a bonobo instead (or humanabo I guess). It's I think unrealistic to expect a female chimp or bonobo to carry a hybrid through whatever the modified pregnancy term is, but a female human could easily carry a chimp or bonobo (especially, I think, a bonobo).

What I'm really curious about is the formation of that vocal chord. These apes are intelligent enough to spell and with a little homo sapien boost they could think through a good deal more, but this person would need the right equipment to actually speak.
Permalink Reply by John Major on May 20, 2014 at 1:06pm
Would we assign human rights on the basis that it had at least some homo sapien DNA or on the basis of human traits, intelligence for example. What if the humanzee were no more intelligent than a pig for example?
Permalink Reply by Lewal on May 21, 2014 at 10:40am
I reckon if you've got homo sapien in you, you've got human rights. How many rights? Well, if he or she were as intelligent as a pig, I'd figure he or she would have the rights of a comparitively intelligent human. How intelligent are pigs? As intelligent as a 3 year-old human? A teenager? I don't readily see any way around a humanzee having a legal guardian, the way a lot of mentally challenged adults might. But a lot of mentally challenged adults live quite functionally with little supervision or even assistance.
Permalink Reply by John Major on May 21, 2014 at 11:38am
Hmmm. You seem to be saying that if the creature's DNA is similar to homo sapien, they should be given human rights, which I suppose the right to life, to live free from torture etc. But aren't there already animals that are very similar to us genetically, but who don't enjoy these basic rights?

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