Cloning - Crossing a Line
Dolly - a name that will forever be etched in the annals of scientific achievement - was the given name of the first cloned mammal, a sheep. In Scotland, scientists used a masterful combination of genetics, biology, and technology which gave way to the creation of an exact copy of the animal from mammary tissue of the donor sheep.
Scientists extracted DNA from the mammary cells and stripped the DNA from a donor egg from another sheep. After injecting the mammary DNA into the stripped donor egg, a new sheep embryo was formed. While the cloning of animals had taken place before with an amphibian, a frog, it had never been done with a mammal - and this event sent shock waves around the world.
While Dolly was actually born in July of 1996, the scientists involved in her creation knew this would be groundbreaking and would definitely be headline news. They managed to keep the birth of the clone a secret, but the information was inevitably leaked and became breaking news in February of 1997.
The advancement with cloning was promised to assist researchers in the search for cures of deadly diseases in humans, but the media ran with the news and turned to the prospects of the same technology being used on humans. Scientists said the reason for keeping under wraps was because journals would not publish articles on topics which have already been publicized.
But we can’t help but wonder if they were so secretive because they knew what a bombshell this would be - and what backlash they would inevitably receive. Spurred on by the news reports of potential human cloning, the entire world asked themselves – should we be applauding this advancement of science or should we be worried about where this may lead us? Just how far could this science go? We think here the question is not could we - but should we? We believe that the uniqueness in each human is something to be celebrated and frown upon the thought of having an exact copy of anyone. As Sadhguru says, “Each human being has some sort of genius, but they destroy it trying to be someone else.”
In our novel Adam in Taoland we discuss this question as it relates to Artificial Intelligence - which likewise we applaud for the good it can enable for mankind, as we express concern that over centuries ahead it could destroy human purpose, unless the world unites (which it all too rarely does) to prevent AI from being unleashed for the wrong reasons by the wrong leaders.
The cloning of an animal brings up several ethical dilemmas which prompted even President Bill Clinton to issue a directive that bans the use of federal funds for any cloning of human beings. The whole world feared that this new science would be applied to the new research involving embryonic stems cells taken from discarded embryos. Various religious groups, political factions, and even normal people were strongly against this as to them it was similar to ‘playing God.’
We have taken this proposed situation of the cloning of humans and applied it to our novels. Adam, the main character in our novel, was created from DNA genetically engineered by artificial intelligence – essentially Adam was created from specially selected designer DNA. For Adam, this had dire consequences. He grew up without any genetic relatives, without family, love, or any sense of belonging. He was kept so much in the dark that he did not know how families were formed before the dominance of AI. And when he found out, this sent him into a tailspin of despair, grasping for the life and liberties he so desired.
While we are in favor of advancements that can assist researchers in the search for cures of diseases, we suggest that there should be strong boundaries which cannot be crossed and strict laws in place to prevent the use of human DNA for any kind of cloning, genetic engineering, or other manipulation. The same can be said for nuclear weapons.
The consequences of crossing these lines are extreme. We must do what is in our power to stand against science being allowed to destroy human life and purpose. Together let us stand against out-of-control scientific advances, as we welcome what can be done prudently to provide better, safer, healthier, more productive lives for all the inhabitants of our planet.
