We shouldn't fear abuse of science
By ROBERT L. STEINBACK
Knight-Ridder Newspapers
MIAMI - You know what the weirdest thing about cloning yourself would be? Seeing your baby pictures come to life.
For those of us who were funny-looking kids, that would be reason enough not to seek out Dr. Strangeclone.
Researchers say they have succeeded in creating living clones - DNA-perfect copies - from adult sheep and monkeys. The ability to clone human beings is just around the scientific corner.
Would we be stepping on God's toes to clone a human life?
I don't see why. Unless God gave us brains by mistake, one presumes we were meant to use them. Science has been tinkering with the natural course of life since the first human discovered that chewing willow bark could relieve pain. It could be argued that God created the ability of life to grow from cloned cells - all we, as humans, did was to discover the procedure.
Cloning isn't any more a moral affront than birth-control pills, fertility drugs or in vitro fertilization - so-called test-tube babies. If cloning crosses some line of moral offense, it is an entirely arbitrary line.
Any danger regarding cloning technology isn't with the science of it. It's with human nature.
We humans have a remarkable capacity to turn almost any scientific breakthrough to evil purposes. We develop iron; we make chains to enslave people. We develop steel; we forge swords. We develop automobiles; we drive them while drunk. We conquer flight; we build bombers. We split the atom; we incinerate Hiroshima. We develop television; we produce Ricki Lake.
Knowledge always runs well ahead of wisdom, which is the understanding and insight to apply knowledge in a beneficial manner. If we, as a species, were a bit more cognizant of cultivating wisdom, no technological breakthrough would ever be a threat.
In any case, I doubt there will ever be a mad rush to use human cloning technology. For one thing, the traditional method of procreation will still rule - the laboratory will never replace candles, champagne and smoky jazz. Thank goodness.
And I can't imagine ever actually wanting to clone myself. Why would I want to deliberately pass on to a cloned "son" my receding-hairline gene? I'd probably have to refer Dr. Strangeclone to my contact lens supplier, because my clone would almost certainly be nearsighted, too.
Nevertheless, there is the potential for abuse. Some deranged, spurned woman might try to steal her reluctant boyfriend's DNA in hopes of carrying his cloned "baby." Some nutball despot might desire a mercenary army of Genghis Khan replicas, or, if he were really ambitious, five Michael Jordan clones to monopolize world sneaker advertising. Some twisted tycoon might see cloning as a route to immortality.
But many factors other than genetics shape an individual; there is no guarantee the clones would feel like fighting or taking anyone to the hoop. Creating a copy of yourself doesn't mean your duplicate would make the same choices as you.
And the tycoon can forget about immortality. Clones or no clones, when the tycoon dies, he'll still be dead. The good news, of course, is that his clones will have a huge estate to divvy up.
We shouldn't let the fear of abuse stop scientific research - but each technological breakthrough increases the urgency for humankind to create peace, cooperate, and explore the finer points of philosophy, ethics and shared destiny. Those are concepts found in the more-neglected areas of our brains.
The problem isn't that we've used our brains too much; it's that we don't use them enough.
Robert Steinback is a columnist for the Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132.