title: [How did the AIDS virus develop? Scientific knowledge and philosophical suppositions].
abstract: Several years after the occurrence of the first cases of AIDS, the HIV retrovirus was discovered in the eighties. How did this terrible virus come into being? 'A punishment from God' say some. 'A new life form created by man using gene technology', say others. Most scientists, however, do not share these views. They assume that spontaneous, random gene mutations are responsible for the AIDS virus. Viruses change their qualities frequently and new variations are constantly being created. Some philosophical conclusions from these findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: FMH für Allgemeine Medizin, Heerbrugg.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stahl
mesh_terms: D005821:Genetic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010684:Philosophy; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics*