# Would it be immoral to resurrect a Neanderthal from recovered DNA? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 1, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-immoral-to-resurrect-a-neanderthal-from-recovered-dna/479493 "2009-01-01T19:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-immoral-to-resurrect-a-neanderthal-from-recovered-dna/479493/61 "2009-01-04T05:17:25Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > The real issue with GEICO is their creation of Human-Reptile Chimeras. > > On Topic: I think it might be better to wait 100 years and emulate the Neanderthal genome on a futuristic super computer. They can make as many faux Neanderthals as they want virtually and don’t have to worry about the suffering. Once they find out the fiddly bits about drug interactions, nutritional requirements, language capability and mental capacity it’ll be easier to decide whether to resurrect the race. > > In fact you can run whole tribes of Neanderthals on the computer and allow them to create their own language and culture and history. Then you can program robots to care for the first physical Neanderthal babies and raise them in that culture. Once the second generation comes around, you can take a step back and let them become self sustaining. Woohoo! NeanderSims! ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-immoral-to-resurrect-a-neanderthal-from-recovered-dna/479493/62 "2009-01-04T05:53:51Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I don’t think a sophisticated emulation would by necessity be conscious and self aware. It could act like it perfectly, but I don’t think there would have to be someone home. If it acts like it perfectly, wouldn’t it be the same as passing the Turing test? How could we tell he’s not self-aware? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-immoral-to-resurrect-a-neanderthal-from-recovered-dna/479493/63 "2009-01-04T06:17:13Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > The real issue with GEICO is their creation of Human-Reptile Chimeras. I thought it was the overbearing desire to prevent D-list celebrity careers from dying with dignity. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-immoral-to-resurrect-a-neanderthal-from-recovered-dna/479493/64 "2009-01-04T06:42:05Z")
I think the only way it could be ethical is if we raised them in our culture. People need culture to live. Humans born without cultures (like those locked in isolation) become fucked up forever. On a grand scale, there are things like the damage that our suppressing African culture in slaves did. Culture is what gives our life meaning and is an essential part of any sentient being’s health. And a healthy culture takes a long time to form. Since we can’t emulate Neanderthal culture, the only thing we have left is our own. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-immoral-to-resurrect-a-neanderthal-from-recovered-dna/479493/65 "2009-01-04T12:54:39Z")
> [@WF\_Tomba](#): > > Interesting, **DSeid**. Personally, I’m not sure it can be assumed that they were actually smarter than us, as their brains were only a _little_ bit bigger–nothing like the difference in brain size between a _Homo erectus_ and a modern human. I just watched a show on National Geogaphic that showed the big difference between us and the Neanderthal was where their voice box was in relation to modern humans. The therory was that Homo sapiens was better able to communicate and were able to find food, exchange ideas etc. The voice box was situated in such a place that many sounds were impossible for them to make. Monavis ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-immoral-to-resurrect-a-neanderthal-from-recovered-dna/479493/66 "2009-01-04T20:23:46Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > And what if the female doesn’t think the male is attractive? Give him a big wad of money;) On a serious note, I always find the subject of Neanderthals depressing, as apparently we may have eaten them. Murder and rape, I can handle, but _eating_ them? Seriously wtf? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-immoral-to-resurrect-a-neanderthal-from-recovered-dna/479493.md?page=3)