Philosophy Now Forum

Thousands of Indian farmers commit suicide due to GM seeds. [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... crops.html] Once again the state (in order to get more IMF funds) sells its citizens. Once more "science" (in the bad sense of the word) sells out humans for the ideal of "scientific progress". Do you need philosophy to see what is right here?

Farmers in India and in Iraq used traditional seeds for thousands of years. Now with the pretext of "progress" we make them use seeds that can't be re-used for the next crop, with doubtful effectiveness against pests. (see http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/05/c ... dLcmbUqySo and http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/09 ... ?mobile=nc

I believe it is all a matter of perspective here. We, in the "civilized" West do benefit from new technologies. But we do not see how many people die in the "rest of the world" for us to ripe that benefit. A balance point must be reached. But can we ever reach such a point where billions of money is involved?

Monsanto is a business so making $$$ is what businesses do (though their stock price for the past 5 years isnt reflective of that), i guess 'ethics' is subjective to the business if they couldnt care they couldnt care.

The motto "It's just Business" is the excuse for everything nowadays...

Very good topic!

It's a huge tragedy with these farmers, and even greater tragedy that no one stops Monsanto, all turn a blind eye to their mafioso methods.

I'm appaled!

My question is 'will the seeds from last years crop actually not germinate and grow, or is it that Monsanto will prosecute anyone who tries to plant and grow such crops due to patents?'

Skakos:

Once again the state (in order to get more IMF funds) sells its citizens.

Not the state; a state, cornered, hard up and bullied. And they didn't agree to this with the intention of selling out their citizens: they hoped to alleviate hunger.

Once more "science" (in the bad sense of the word) sells out humans for the ideal of "scientific progress".

Science was not in charge of the decisions, or even consulted. Research - originally aimed at producing better, hardier, higher-yielding and more versatile crops, for the ideal of feeding more people - was diverted under private auspices, in private laboratories, for private gain. If you want a villain, look to profit - or better yet, to a world order that is driven by money.

Do you need philosophy to see what is right here?

No - seeing is easy. To change it, you need political power. Without money, you can't get any. Figure out how to take money out of politics, and philosophy might become relevant.

thedoc:

My question is 'will the seeds from last years crop actually not germinate and grow, or is it that Monsanto will prosecute anyone who tries to plant and grow such crops due to patents?'

I think, both. A 'terminator gene' means plants produce sterile seed. Some seeds have a limited viability that manifests gradually: only half of the first generation germinates, only 20% of the second generation; hardly any of the third. Many hybrids and spliced seeds produce infertile plants - no seeds, all one sex, mismatched pollination schedules. Some have seeds but don't breed true; that is, revert to the inferior stock from which hybrids were developed.
And, if you do get crops from harvested and saved seed, they can sue you and destroy your unauthorized crop.

This is a truly http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/monsanto-seeds/ large and evil company. But science didn't make them so.