News - Is human cloning inherently immoral?

Yes. Cloning human life would change it from a wonderful adventure to a soulless scientific formula

Whether one believes that life is the result of some intricate, divine plan or just a random cosmic fart, there is something unique and miraculous about our existence. There is nothing miraculous about cloning.

The Declaration of Independence states that all men are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights ...” Personally, I like to spell “creator” with a lowercase “c,” but that’s just me. Regardless of style, I doubt any of our Founding Fathers ever imagined that one day some Americans would be fighting for the right to become the Creator.?

My position on cloning is based loosely on the very much unscientific observations of Groucho Marx, who said, “I would never want to join a club that would have me as a member.” In short, cloning wouldn’t be such a bad idea, if it were not for my belief that any human who thinks cloning is OK is certainly not worth duplicating. ?

And there’s the problem: How would we decide who is worthy of duplication? While the prospect of another Mozart may be appealing, I think most would agree another Hitler is another story.?

Some believe that “clones” will enable medical science to create genetically matched organs and tissue for every human (able to afford the “service”). Personally, I can’t think of a more obscene, inhuman scenario. Others believe the benefits having of another Michelangelo or Gandhi around far outweigh any moral unpleasantness caused by duplicating human life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Would another Jimi Hendrix have denied us the musical intensity of Stevie Ray Vaughan? If we cloned Lou Gehrig, would Cal Ripken Jr. have languished in the minor leagues? Would a second-generation Albert Einstein have eliminated the “need” for the first release of Stephen Hawking? For my money, cloning is playing with a stacked deck. It enables us to ignore the arbitrary events (disease, mutation, fate) that give life its texture and energy. ?

The process of evolution defines life as both a historical whole, as well as the unique value of each individual life that has been part of the process. The life of every human being is the sum total of time and the natural experience, not merely an amalgam of flesh, bone and DNA to be mass-produced or duplicated to satisfy some ulterior desire. At least I hope not.?

Jack London wrote, “The proper function of man is to live, not exist.” To clone human life is to place emphasis on the existing and not the living. To clone human life is to change it from a wonderful, spirited adventure to a cold, soulless scientific formula. And I certainly don’t want to be dating if that comes to pass.






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