The Great Debate

I always got the impression that the song was very slightly FOR it, although they were trying to remain impartial. I just found the final "clip" to be moving and well placed.

But they do an excellent job of showing both sides- I wouldn't be surprised if Petrucci were against it but other members of the band were for it.

This song has no stance, but raises questions for yourself, and your stance.

Also, I agree with london67.

I think the song is supposed to be observing the situation, stating finally that we must simply "turn towards the light." When it comes to things like this there is a somewhat obvious moral tendency to not do whatever is in question, in this case stem cell experimentation, simply because it involves unnatural actions and killing of things. I think it is for that reason that the last line is pro stem cell research, because they had to end with one or the other and it figures to leave with a line that leaves the most ambiguity.

I think that ambiguity is the most important part of this song, with the intro flooding the listener with fluttering keyboard riffs and voice clips, sort of clearing your mind of any existing bias towards the topic. That's just my opinion on the intro anyway. The song is probably not meant to take any side, as it presents clips of both sides of the argument, though if anything I would bet on the band members being against stem cell research just because they wrote a song about it, it's just the norm really.

I think the song isn't as much about side-taking as it is about taking the right/moral path. The actual lyrics put emphasis on simply doing the right thing, and they question if stem cell research is justified while also suggesting the potential positive outcomes. To me it sort of represents any major moral dilemma where what's right and wrong is ultimately a matter of opinion, simply because both sides have massive amounts of justification and opinions on them are so divided.

Rather obviously, this song discusses the ongoing debate of current stem cell research/cloning, etc. and whether it's right or wrong (the song doesn't present the band's opinion, only different views of some individuals).

I doesn't state the bands opinion on which side is correct, but the "Turn to the light" part bothers me. I think that someone might take this part to back up whatever they believe and say that that stanza justifies it when that could be said of the other side as well.

i dunno...but i think john P. is against it..thats why he might of wrote a song on it or something

i think the band does present it's opinion but in a very subtle way. What convinces me are the following lines:

"we're reaching / but have we gone too far" - maybe they were for it at first, but now it has gone too far?

"someone else's fate / we are deciding" - i think the band is trying to say it's their fate and we shouldn't have the power to decide that.

"Anarchistic moral vision Industries of death Facing violent opposition Unmolested breaths

Ethic inquisitions breed Antagonistic views Right wing sound bite premonitions In a labyrinth of rules "

Actually I had gotten the impression that the band was pro-stem cell research, though they didn't flaunt that around. But this line makes me think that: "Turn to the light Turning away would be a terrible mistake"

They try to just present both sides of the argument, which is well done, but that line makes me think that they are more pro-stem cell research.

I also heard that Petrucci was against it.

Then again, this song tends to convey the opposite opinion, not only because of what llowell said, but because the final "clip" is pro-stem cell research.