Scientists create animals that are part-human - Stem Cell Research - MSNBC.com

Science continues to challenge the cultural assumptions of humans about their centrality in the vast scheme of nature. Although some long ago realized that we are but a small part of a massive evolutionary phenomenon, some will continue to cling to the uniqueness of man's sentience on Earth as proof that man must always hold that claim; such a belief is unwarranted.

We ourselves are beginning to create our own versions of 'life', in artificial intelligence, and in the biological sciences. This article talks about animals that combine human and other-than-human cells in one organism, and their ethical implications.

Although we can't deny or stop such progress, we must consider how to properly fit it in to our ethical frameworks. The following quote from the above article strikes me as a slightly less-than-optimal way to handle the problem of sentient mice...

Stanford law professor Hank Greely, who chaired the ethics committee, said the board was satisfied that the size and shape of the mouse brain would prevent the human cells from creating any traits of humanity. Just in case, Greely said, the committee recommended closely monitoring the mice’s behavior and immediately killing any that display human-like behavior. (emphasis added.)