This is beside the point in the context of your reply to mckirk. Even the most vigorous supporters of 'gain-of-function' research are not proposing that the resulting pathogens should be be released into the wild in order to promote medical research.

Nowhere did I write or imply that there was intent in the causation. You get a gun, I might buy a gun, that does not imply that your intent was for me to buy a gun.

Do you think the advances in medical techniques for treating gun wounds was the intent of gangbangers when they shoot each other?

I am at a loss to see how this could be a pertinent reply, but let me make something clear: my 'gain-of-function' comment is intended to show that your "it would probably kickstart a 'build your own vaccine kit' industry" is not a useful response to mckirk's scenario, even in the unlikely event that this would actually happen. The fact that no-one in their right mind would suggest releasing enhanced viruses into the wild as a means to foster medical development shows that the countervailing consequence you suggest will occur does not work as a response to mckirk's concern.

> pathogens should be be released into the wild in order to promote medical research

Do A in order to promote B requires intention. It doesn't matter that no one is doing that because it's a straw man, as I'm not arguing it either. What I am saying is:

If A then B will occur (probably and with increasing likelihood).

Quite different.

My replies to you do not depend on or imply that you proposed any course of action, or that anyone else has actually done so, either. You have quoted me out of context in order to give the impression that I have.

> You have quoted me out of context in order to give the impression that I have

My heart is full of bad intentions, that must be it, it can't be that I simply found your logic to be wanting.

I would like you to tell me how I can quote you out of context when your replies are just above, that would be interesting. This thread is the context, I doubt you even need to scroll from my quote to see yours in full.

I have no definite opinion as to what your intentions are, but your argument is, indeed, wanting.

And what you did is, indeed, quoting out of context. The whole issue with quoting out of context is that, when you look at where the quote was taken from, you can see that it does not actually support the claim that it allegedly justifies. When the original is right there for anyone to check, it merely raises the tangential question of why the quoter thought the argument would succeed in the first place.