If we clone an exact human does this disprove the Soul?
Discussion
I just finished reading an article on the news about a woman who had her dogs cloned. Then it turned out she is wanted in 2 states for grand theft LOL But thats besides the point.
It got me wondering, as far as we know there has not been any human being successfully or even tried to be cloned. Some may chime in about how there must government laboratories that have been trying for years etc etc but that argument has no place here, not now.
The question is this; Do you think that IF (when) some group of scientists clone another human being, they we will be of intelligent IQ and develop passed the infant years as normal? Or do you think that it will be born just an empty shell, void of all function and learning capability with the exception of the function of his body. i.e. secretions (#1 and #1) etc. Or do you think it cant be done and any attempt will result in a stillborn child?
If it can be done, does this disprove the existence of a Soul?
It got me wondering, as far as we know there has not been any human being successfully or even tried to be cloned. Some may chime in about how there must government laboratories that have been trying for years etc etc but that argument has no place here, not now.
The question is this; Do you think that IF (when) some group of scientists clone another human being, they we will be of intelligent IQ and develop passed the infant years as normal? Or do you think that it will be born just an empty shell, void of all function and learning capability with the exception of the function of his body. i.e. secretions (#1 and #1) etc. Or do you think it cant be done and any attempt will result in a stillborn child?
If it can be done, does this disprove the existence of a Soul?
Edited by LotusACBC on Friday 15th August 19:37
You make the assumption that it would be possible to clone a human. Now bearing in mind we have little to bugger all idea how something as 'simple' as the flu virus works then cloning a human may be a little way into the future... Perhaps we should worry about the ethical debate of entity spirit development when it actually becomes a possibility
You're looking from an emotional viewpoint. A human being is $12 of chemicals, cleverly arranged.
When we start as a fertilised egg, we are nothing but our genes. Everything else develops later depending on upbringing, environment etc. If you copy the genes, you get - a copy. It is not devoid of any ability, 'soul' or anything else.
If you have two identical twins, does one have a soul and one not? No.
When we start as a fertilised egg, we are nothing but our genes. Everything else develops later depending on upbringing, environment etc. If you copy the genes, you get - a copy. It is not devoid of any ability, 'soul' or anything else.
If you have two identical twins, does one have a soul and one not? No.
If connectionist theory states that an intelligence will manifest simply by providing a correctly assembled brain, be it organic or artificial, all a soul needs is a host. A soul is our software: just needs some wetware to run on. The software doesn't care if it was forked by our parents to us or us to another shell.
there was a very interesting article in the sunday times magazine a few months back.
of course, i can't remember who it was by or anything helpful, but it was about an american scientist who was researching how the body is created in the womb.
the gist was that the tiny molecular strands that are formed to build the brain etc. are created by said molecules 'knowing' where to go, but ultimately randomly in how exactly they fit together. it was his argument that it was these types of random events, multiplied throughout the entire structure of your brain, that gives each of us our unique brain and and identity, unique features etc.
it was a long article but also touched on disabilities and the soul argument.
personally i'd go with his argument. though i would go for thoroughly researched science over religious spiel almost every time
of course, i can't remember who it was by or anything helpful, but it was about an american scientist who was researching how the body is created in the womb.
the gist was that the tiny molecular strands that are formed to build the brain etc. are created by said molecules 'knowing' where to go, but ultimately randomly in how exactly they fit together. it was his argument that it was these types of random events, multiplied throughout the entire structure of your brain, that gives each of us our unique brain and and identity, unique features etc.
it was a long article but also touched on disabilities and the soul argument.
personally i'd go with his argument. though i would go for thoroughly researched science over religious spiel almost every time
So we are agreed then?
I cant see why biological processes would be responsible for an allocation of "soul" anyway. It's all a bit religious for me, of course we have a little self awareness etc. but these are more easily and convincingly explained through evolutionary psychology IMO.
I cant see why biological processes would be responsible for an allocation of "soul" anyway. It's all a bit religious for me, of course we have a little self awareness etc. but these are more easily and convincingly explained through evolutionary psychology IMO.
Soul jest seems to be the name for our self awareness. If we could clone someone, it would get it's own, just as twins do.
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