For the sake of argument, let us assume that there is such a thing as
a
soul, and that everyone has one.
In 1975 there was a couple, husband and wife. Unable to naturally conceive
a child for some reason, an advance of medical technology allowed the
conception itself to take place outside the body, and have the embryo
placed within the mother. This process is known as in vitro from the
Latin "in glass". On July 25, 1975 Louise Brown was born to a
loving family.
October 4, 2000 a new baby is born. His name is Adam. He has an older
sister, named Molly. Adam was selected from many possible siblings - one
that didn't have genetic disorder - a genetic disorder that is killing
his sister. While the parents want to have a healthy child, his life
can serve a greater good at no cost to himself. Blood from Adam's
umbilical cord was infused into Molly in an operation that gives her
an 85% chance of beating the disease that would have left untreated
resulted in a fatal leukemia. Without the screening, at best Adam would
have a 18% chance of being free from the disease and having the ability
to save his sister's life.
Today, a number of genetic diseases and abnormalities have been identified
and pined down to exact places on the human genome. It is certain
that with the continued mapping of the genome, more will be identified.
How important is the uniqueness of genetic information? If humans are
a small population, then it could cause problems. However, we are not
a small population - our numbers are in the billions. If anything,
this is more a problem to the world, but overpopulation is a
different issue all together. Entire papers have been written
about Nature vs. Nurture. Everyone is a unique person - that is the
onlything they have agreed upon.
Let us consider a more down to earth problem, one that strikes at the
ourselves. There are parts of our bodies that are redundant. I have
two kidneys, a number of bones with bone marrow in them, two lungs
and a bunch of other parts. Let us picture something happing to your
son or daughter - for some environmental reason your child gets leukemia
and needs a bone marrow transplant. No one can be found as a match,
and your child's days are numbered. The only possible place to grow
more bone marrow that matches is in another human being - from conception
onward. Yes, a clone.
Has any dignity been lost? Will you love the new baby any less than
you love your first child? Is the possibility of life not better than the
certain death of a child? Is being an identical twin separated by years
that much of a stigma that it is an evil act?
I hope that no one will ever have to say to another person "I'm sorry,
we have the ability to save your life, but have decided that it is
morally wrong."
If there is anything that is sacred - it is the potential of life.
The Catholic church is well known for expounding upon the
sacredness of life yet to be born. What about life that is living now?
Would you treat your clone with anything less than the respect that you
wish others to treet you?