Cloning

[Gummuluru Murthy]

On Tue, 18 Mar 1997, Giri wrote:

> On Tue, 18 Mar 1997, Gummuluru Murthy wrote:
>
> > Now, the advaita literature is full of statements that the body is a
> > corpse powered by the sense organs.
>   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>         I am not so sure about this, but maybe I am just misunderstanding
> your statement. Even if the sense organs don't work (coma is a good
> example) the person is still alive, since his central nervous system and
> brain are functioning (atleast partially). Even if the person is
> "unconscious" the person can be alive. I believe that a person is alive
> so long as the "soul 'is in' the body."
>

I am responding to this point in a separate thread: katha upanishad:
chariot analogy (was: re cloning)

> > In cloning, you are giving life
> > to a body. Thus, you are "donating" more than the body.
>
>         I would say, than it in cloning you are just creating a body, just
> like 'creating' a child, not "giving life" to it. If one is capable of
> giving life to another, then surely, we should be able to revive all
> corpses.

You have put it in a much better way than what I did. The general point to
be made is the same.

>         However, I do agree with you and Vidya that the issue of cloning
> has much more ramifications than, say, donating blood to an
> already-existing body.
>
> Namaste.
>

It is nice to know that you have the same viewpoint on this matter.

I regard cloning as a more sinister way of bringing a child into the world
than the standard sexual impregnation.

In the standard procedure, the child happens to be a product of a mental
and physical union between a husband and a wife. It is not the objective.
Because of the mental union, the child is accepted with any deformities
and there is a natural love towards the child. In the cloning procedure,
the objective is to produce this product, which, if found defective, can
be destroyed with the least inhibition. The only objective of cloning
(apart from scientific ego-boosting) and the willingness to be cloned
is that there are spare parts available if any are to be replaced in
the donor without rejection. I am sorry to put it so cynically, but I
cannot see any worthwhile reason to pursue this procedure on moral or
ethical grounds. If there is, I would like to know.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Sarvaagamaanaa maachaarah prathamam parikalpathe !
                                          Sage Vyasa in Maha Bharatha

For all (incoming) knowledge, discipline is the most fundamental.
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