Cohen C
N Engl J Med. 1977 May 26;296(21):1203-10. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197705262962105.
The prohibition of research with recombinant DNA must rely upon some argument that both establishes a principle, applicable to research in any sphere, identifying kinds of defect or hazard that are intolerable, and shows that recombinant DNA research is intolerably defective or hazardous in the ways specified by that principle. No such argument succeeds. Of arguments proposed to defend prohibition it may be fairly said either that the major premise (the principle of prohibition) is false, or when sound principles are put forward, that the minor premise (specifying recombinant DNA research as defective or hazardous in the ways called for) is far from established. There is no valid practical syllogism, having true premises, whose conclusion is that research with recombinant DNA should be stopped.
对重组DNA研究的禁令必须依赖于某种论据，该论据既要确立一项适用于任何领域研究的原则，以识别出不可容忍的缺陷或危害类型，又要表明重组DNA研究在该原则所规定的方面存在不可容忍的缺陷或危害。但没有这样的论据能够成功。对于为捍卫禁令而提出的论据，可以公允地说，要么大前提（禁令原则）是错误的，要么当提出合理原则时，小前提（将重组DNA研究指明为存在所要求的缺陷或危害）远未得到确立。不存在一个前提为真且结论是应该停止重组DNA研究的有效实践三段论。
