Most arguments for using Hitler's DNA end up supporting the eugenicist trash Nazi scientists espoused. There is little practical use for it.
this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2025
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The DNA would probably fall in public domain before any significant research could be done with it.
Maybe this is the way, we looked at ancient human DNA, maybe there should be a public domain aspect to it. Sequence today, study after XX years.
Ethically, it may be questionable, personally, IDGAF.
This article make a big stink about how mentioning that he had genes that showed "very high" scores for a predisposition to autism, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and how we shouldn't mention that because it might make people with these disorders feel more Hitlery. It also says he had similar genes for having a micropenis but doesn't show the same concern for people with this affliction. Well, Lemmy, does this new information make you feel more Hitlery?
Just ask whoever saved his brain to ask permission
I know my institution wouldn't allow this without informed consent from himself pre-death or legally responsible family members. Plus you have to be able to withdraw consent at any time and we have to destroy all data, including sequencing analysis, upon request. Not sure how that affects published data but we'd have to strip it out of any data repositories the publications may point to as well.
What is the scientific value of it and why can't those values be realised in a way that does not even raise ethical concerns?
The best argument for it was that eventually someone would do it and they may just as well do it rigorously.
I think everybody's DNA should be open source...
The real challenge with DNA access is that there's too many nefarious things that can be done with that information. Without strong legal protections worldwide, some can use information from one's DNA to determine genetic conditions that they'd exclude from employment, access to social programs, or access to specific aspects of life even. Eugenicists freaking love DNA because it gives the perfect excuse, technical means and mode to carry out their practice, insurance companies could use genetic conditions to set rates in an unfair manner, and of course we could find ourselves with botique babies where certain aspects are spliced in or out in the attempt to make either the perfect child or more terrifyingly the perfect soldier.
Open access to DNA simply enables racism, social casting and eugenics at a scale and scope that humanity has yet to see, and the idea of this possibility is frankly terrifying.
Well, nothing is stopping the super soldiers, with or without open DNA. Most of those are not all that worrisome in any practical way, except employment and insurance. The only real answer for Insurance is single payer insurance at one price for everyone. The way we let insurance companies hold the noose around our necks in the US is flabbergasting. I don't know for sure that the rest of the world is quite as good as all that, since I've talked to people of many countries and never heard one that didn't have major complaints when they weren't just trying to dump on the US. I do feel like the US is the worst of the wealthy countries anyway. If we could stop the insurance companies from having the leverage to hold us to the fire, open DNA could facilitate research on lots of medical treatments. So I guess, first put the insurance companies out of business permanently, then open source the DNA. Which I suppose means never at this rate...
Yes, fascism negates the rights of the fascists. It has to in order to protect free society.
It's call the Paradox of Tolerance, and is very difficult for centrist liberals to understand.
The faster you string fascists up, the better off society will be. The body? Who cares, do what you want with it.
It's not fascist, to be "fascist against fascism".
The way I've reconciled the Paradox of Tolerance for myself is to view tolerance as part of a social contract. The social contract demands that tolerance be extended to everyone who in turn accepts that social contract themselves. "Being tolerant" doesn't necessarily require that tolerance to be given out indiscriminately. Like how I wouldn't consider a vegan any less a vegan if they ended up having to kill something in self-defense, even if they had to kill it by biting chunks out of it.
i see BBC is still at the "hard hitting" story telling 🙄