18 July 2006

Clone 'would feel individuality'

Just found this story on the BBC Website, apparently scientists have been interviewing identical twins about there feelings of individuality. The twins said being genetically identical to another person didn't make them feel less individual, therefore clones probably would feel the same.

This bothers me as the sample of twins interviewed is very small anyway (the post title is a link to the article if you'd like to know more.) I also don't think identical twins would feel the same about each other as a clone would feel about the person they were cloned from and vice versa. I mean a clone comes from a lab not a woman for one thing, that's got to make you feel differently and not like an identical twin

There has been much debate over this subject and whether it's right or wrong, and if this is an attempt to make it seem right it's a very poor one in my opinion. I don't think whole humans should be cloned, though growing replacemnet organs that exactly match the recipients Genetics can't be a bad thing if it ever becomes possible.

2 comments:

TPS said...

Nancy,

I'm not sure there is a moral right or wrong for the cloning issue. I do, however, think there would be a huge difference between the way an individual feels about an identical twin, and the way a clone would feel about the individual whose DNA is his/her own mold.

Identical twins have never experienced life in any other way. Any loss of individuality would be purely subjective. On the other hand, there would be a power dynamic between the host person and a clone. Maybe the host would think the DNA belongs to him/her-self. Maybe the clone would feel an indebtedness, or even resentment.

Still, I don't think these are moral issues. The only moral issue I see relates to the manner in which science allows itself to develop. Just because we have the genetic technology to create clones, doesn't mean we are ready to create clones. Making sure we are anticipating as many possible results, complications, and variables is an essential step that needs to take place before we start cloning.

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Anonymous said...

They should make clones of me, because I'm so fucking awesome.