I'm really skeptical of the idea of "dead ideas". This was recently discussed on the IRC, in the context of Eugenics. Embryo selection and soon direct genetic modification will be possible. But eugenics has a really bad reputation because it's associated with Nazism. "It's been tried!" It's now one of those dead ideas.
Another example might be messing with the environment. Including eliminating mosquito's or engineering the climate to lessen the damage of climate change. "It's been tried!" After all there are many examples of h...
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