Visionary scientists have been a major driving force in the evolution of scientific knowledge and there is no doubt that this will continue. However, in the present context of post-genomic research where so many people present grandiose visions of the future of biology and medicine, it is difficult to discern whether this futurology stems from the activity of insightful minds or from the complex interplay of economical, technological, political and personal interests. The difference relates to seeing the world as it is or shaping it as we want it to be. This is a recurring problem, in genetics especially, but it is remarkable to see how little we have learned from the past. It is true that there are presently extraordinary possibility for biological research, but there is no single path and we must remain skeptical (a quality required of common scientists) and question the scientific bases of these grandiose proposals and projects that we see flourishing everywhere. We need debates on these questions, this is the reason why we have opened a dedicated column "debates and opinions" on this web site.
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