Ye Shall Be As Gods? – Class 8, Period 3

[last-mizrahi.livejournal.com]

A careful observer might note that Juli was looking mildly peaky today. A breakthrough in a project tended to make sleep scarce—especially when the breakthrough happens late at night. The snow giraffes she’d had to avoid on her way up to the school had only convinced her that she needed more sleep. Preferably right away.

Nonetheless, she was as neatly put together and composed as usual. Even slightly mirthful, but it was unlikely most of her students would recognize that. Once all her students had gathered. Juli smiled faintly and took a sip of her coffee. Mmmm. Coffee.

“I’m quite certain at least some of you have guessed the content of today’s class. Yes, midterms.” Thrilling. At least she didn’t have to do much talking today.

“Once you’ve received your test papers you may begin,” Juli said, “no two tests are alike, and I am looking for complete and well-thought answers. No matter your opinion I wish to see what reasoning you’ve got to back it up.”

She eyed the class, eyebrows quirking almost unnoticeably at the three sparkle-balls assuming they’re around she had instead of students and added dryly, “If you currently do not possess hands, or alternative means of writing, please see me once the exam has started.”

Yes. Juli needed more coffee for this.

“Begin.”

[Please to be waiting for the massive OCD is up! Yay!]

Comments

Re: Midterm Questions! Jennifer Scotts

[time-flyer-5.livejournal.com]

1. How do you think you’d react if you met a clone of yourself? Why?

I'd like to think that I would handle it fairly well since it's not a new concept to me, but reactions in theory are always different from reactions in practice. If I were completely honest, I would be looking for all the subtle differences in personality and behavior between myself and the clone, and I'm not sure if those would annoy or disturb me but one way or another I think I would be bothered.

That's speaking from personal experience -- I've met people who are genetically identical and yet completely distinct personalities, and I know that the differences bother me. I'm just not sure if I would be more or less bothered if I met a clone of myself; it's a completely different perspective than the one I have of other people.


2. Explain what you believe is the most common genetic alteration a civilian parent would do to their child. Do you think this is a good thing?

There are a number of very common and minor genetic alterations I've seen, anything from adjusting a child's height to making sure they won't be nearsighted; what all of them have in common is that they're done with at least partly the intention of keeping the child from being singled out by their peers for being different.

The intentions are good, and parental protectiveness is an admirable inclination, but protectiveness taken too far can be and usually is very detrimental to a child's emotional and mental development. Additionally, I think that (with the added perspective of the 21st century) encouraging that much conformity in society is ultimately damaging to the society as a whole.

Factor in the added concern of the child not having any say in the process, and it raises ethical concerns, so ultimately, in the long term I don't think it's a good thing, even if on the surface all of it appears to be fairly harmless.


3. If death can be reversed why do you think most of the time we don’t reverse it?

Because there's too many ramifications. It's practically impossible to predict how changing the timeline that way will alter the lives of everyone connected to the dead person . . . and I have a suspicion, even though I can't prove it, that there's a good chance that it's a traumatic experience for the person brought back from the dead. We don't know how that will change them, for better or for worse, and if that benefits or hurts the people around them more than losing them would do.