I’m in the midst of writing a manuscript and am coming up short with the relevant linkages between “spare parts” and human genetic engineering. That is, discourse associates current “designer babies” with the search for “spare parts.” So here is my question: supplying human parts (e.g., kidney, liver) is like…locating what types of auto spare parts? Since I’m not an auto-afficianado, I depend on your kindness to direct me to relevant auto-part to make this metaphorical linkage.
I think the analogy fails. If you take a kidney out, both “cars” still work, but there isn’t a comparable mission critical pair of parts in real cars. If you take the liver out, you’ve rendered a new car useless to put an older car back on the road. Even if you’re only using part of the liver, you probably don’t have time to produce a designer baby.
The one I use most often is
tires equals shoes.
Different shoes have different sole tread and compound. You know this when you walk and you change your walking style by differences in weather and shoes. Same with tires.You can FEEL the difference and adjust accordingly for the tires you have and the conditions you’re driving in.
YOU must be able to breathe clean air, your vehicle too. Clean air filter and unobstructed airway to maximize efficiency.
Your analogy of ‘‘locating’’ spare parts would be equivilant to the human waiting list.
If you needed a new alternator you’d have to wait till your name came up when someone else stated they had one available.
Yet I’ve often surmised what a “parts department” might look like at the hospital with an inventory of knee and hip joints, skin grafts, corneas, prosthetic limbs, etc ready to order.
TRUE STORY just last week I bought a used steering knuckle and lower control arm.
The receipt says the sold me a KNEE.
Heart And Engine ?
I remember reading that a cardio surgeon and a mechanic met by chance and introduced themselves and had a conversation. After listening a while the mechanic pointed out that he “transplants” engines in cars, just as the good doctor transplants hearts in human patients. He explained to the doctor that the two “operations” were very similar, practically the same skill required.
The doctor acknowledged some similarities, but he wanted to know if the mechanic ever did the engine “transplants” while keeping the engines running.
CSA
See the animated movie CARS.
Headlights are eyes.
Grilles are mouths.
Front and rear suspensions are arms and legs.
Open windows are ears.
They don’t call it the nose of the car for nuthin.
I am personally in need of a ‘valve job’. The Mitral valve in my heart needs to be replaced or repaired. Open heart surgery.
On a car you’d take a cylinder head off of the engine to repair or replace a valve.
Oil is said to be the “life blood” of an engine. When I am asked my blood type, sometimes I respond with “10W-30”. We used to talk about putting enough antifreeze in the radiator of a car to set the freezing point to -30 degrees F. Some of us would frequent our favorite bar and slog down “antifreeze” in order to protect ourselves from the ravages of winter. Unlike the car, however, we would switch to a different summer coolant.
There isn’t much of a comparison. Doctors are well-paid because their mechanical equal would have to do all repairs with the engine running.
The health profession has it easy in one way…They only work on one make with two models.
This character posted the same thing about 4 times. Judging by that I doubt s/he will ever find his/her way back here. So I’d only bother with this if you all find it fun. I think its ridiculous (as I said in one of the other 4 posts). Designers babies via genetic engineering has no metaphorical relation to car parts whatsoever - Until cars come from Star-Trek like synthesizers that build up from a molecular level blueprint anyway. Car parts go with organ transplants & prostheses. The genetic engineering discourse needs a new metaphor.
Well we all do have a head and there is at least one per engine. Then there is that radiator drain valve called a pet… what is that darn thing called? The exhaust system does have a header pipe, perhaps I should quit before I throw a rod.
The tailpipe on a car would be . . . on a human? Hmmmmm.
Don’t forget transplanting “recirculating ballnuts”:
http://www.ddb-tech.com/recirculating-ball-type-power-steering-gears.htm
A relationship between mechanical spare parts and human genetic engineering? Visit this website
http://www-rp.me.vt.edu/bohn/rp/ME-7-95/art000/
There is a process called “rapid prototyping” that’s been around for some years now. With this technology a digital design file for a mechanical part is entered into the system and it “grows” the 3-D part by layering the modeling material, a chalk-like substance. The prototype comes out looking excatly like the machined part will, in full 3-D rendering.
Building a part using RP is very much like building a biological structure by manipulating DNA sequence.
We all know about highbeams don’t we?
And it hasn’t changed since it was released.