Gyasto's Argument For The Legalization Of Human Cloning

In 1996 Dolly the sheep was born. However, she was not born like most other sheep. Instead, Dolly was cloned from the DNA of an adult sheep. Although Dolly seemed healthy, she died in 2003 after being diagnosed with a progressive lung disease. Dolly was the only sheep out of 277 attempts that made it to a live birth (The Roslin Institute). Would it be safe to take that chance when experimenting with cloning human babies? Some people seem to believe so, and agree with the idea of cloning to have a child. These people may have been parents who lost a child, or who want children of their own, but are unable to have them the conventional way. Depending on the circumstances, some people believe that cloning is ethically acceptable, while others do not. Tenzin Gyasto, better known as

the fourteenth Dalai Lama and leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, discusses the ethics of cloning, biotechnology, and human dignity in “Ethics and the New Genetics.” In the excerpt “Human Dignity” from his book “Our Posthuman Future”, Francis Fukuyama, author of several books who holds a Ph.D in political science from Harvard University, examines the concept of human dignity, ethics, and morality regarding the biotechnology revolution. With the growing biotechnology industry and the increase of genetic technologies, the topic of human cloning has become ethically problematic, causing the world to face social and cultural consequences that reach far beyond science and into national and global politics.
Cloning has become one of the most controversial topics of discussion in the scientific community.

The history of cloning dates back to 1835 with the first demonstration of artificial embryo cloning on a Sea Urchin (University of Utah Health Sciences). Today, there are two types of cloning: therapeutic and reproductive. Therapeutic cloning is defined as “the use of cloning technology for the reproduction of cells and the potential creation of semi-sentient beings purely for the purpose of harvesting body parts for transplantation” (The Dalai Lama 135). On the other hand, reproductive cloning is used solely to create an identical copy of someone or something. There could be many reasons that individuals choose to use reproductive cloning. For example, a couple who desperately want to have children but unfortunately cannot. Or in a more extreme case, as The Dalai Lama states “There could also be individuals who, out of desire to live beyond biological possibility may choose to clone themselves in the belief that they will continue to live in the new cloned being” (136). However, such individuals are not thinking about the effects that cloning could have on the world and future

generations.
One of the many ramifications of these genetic technologies, such as cloning, is the effect they are going to have on the continuation of our species. In the excerpt, The Dalai Lama states, “We have to bear in mind the long-term impact of this kind of manipulation on the species as a whole, given that its effects will be passed on to following generations” (136). An increase in human cloning would limit diversity and the acceptance of that diversity throughout the world. For example, if all parents decide to genetically modify their babies to have brown hair, years from now, everyone without brown hair will be ostracized. In his article, Fukuyama states, “if people get upset about genetic inequality, there will be two alternative courses of action. The first and most sensible would simply be to forbid the use of biotechnology to enhance human characteristics and decline to compete in this dimension” (192). Today, it is currently possible to choose the sex of one’s child, or even worse, to insert genes into human sperm or eggs in a lab to create an ideal or “designer baby” that is disease free or extremely athletic or smart. What remains “particularly worrying” according to The Dalai Lama is “the manipulation of genes for the creation of children with enhanced characteristics, whether cognitive or physical” (136). How far are people willing to go? Far enough that they are putting future generations in danger.
There are some circumstances, however, in which these technologies are used for medical purposes that could be beneficial to the public. For example, curing a genetic deficiency, or researching a cure for other diseases such as cancers. Other benefits of cloning include creating animal models of disease in order to better understand human diseases, cloning to make stem cells, reviving endangered or extinct species, and drug production. This would alleviate a significant amount of suffering for future generations. However, the long term effects of genetic modifications are still unknown. One example of this was the drug Thalidomide, which was used to treat morning sickness in pregnant women. However, the consequences of this drug to the unborn child were “not foreseen and catastrophic” (The Dalai Lama 138). As The Dalai Lama states, “It is essential, indeed it is a responsibility, for us to be much more critically self-aware about what we are developing and why” (The Dalai Lama). People simply do not know enough to be using these technologies at such a high level.
Human’s have a myriad of unique qualities that make them “human.” However, being able to define what it really means to be human can be quite difficult. As humans, we establish what Francis Fukuyama describes as “Human Dignity.” Fukuyama states, “human beings constantly demand that others recognize their dignity, either as individuals or as members of religious, ethnic, racial, or other kinds of groups. … What we desire is not money, but that other human beings respect us in the way we think we deserve” (185). What this means is that people are able to view each other as equals, and that each person has value. But when do we really become human? According to Fukuyama, “Both activities [stem cell research and cloning] have been strongly condemned by those who believe that life begins at conception and that embryos have full moral status as human beings” (203). The application of theses processes is affecting the concept of what it means to be human. Soon enough, our generation will become a generation of the genetically engineered.
Cloning is also producing ethical problems in national and global politics. At the political level, cloning and genetic modification will “breed a ruling elite, whose claims to power will be invocations of an intrinsic national superiority” (The Dalai Lama 136). It is evident that these new genetic technologies are going to remain very expensive. Therefore, in the coming years they will only be available to an elite group of people; the very rich. “Thus society will find itself translating an inequality of circumstance (that is, relative wealth) into an inequality of nature through enhanced intelligence, strength, and other faculties required through birth” (The Dalai Lama 136). What the Dalai Lama is saying is that only those with heightened intelligence, strength, and wealth will be powerful enough to assume political roles in the nation or on a larger scale, the world.
Taking a look at how far these genetic technologies have come in the past few years, it is remarkable to see the progress. However, by making these advances in science, the rest of the world will change forever. As can be seen with Dolly the sheep and the drug Thalidomide, there can be many errors, and in some cases serious consequences. Simply put, people do not know enough about these technologies to be using them on humans. The consequences that these genetic changes might have on future generations is unknown. Is it safe to take these risks?
Understandably, there are people who we can sympathize for. A couple who is unable to have a baby of their own, a family member in dire need of a transplant, or curing a genetic deficiency. However, when genetic technologies like cloning are being used for purely aesthetic purposes, there are no benefits for the child. Many parents believe that they will be helping their child by selecting traits that will make their child excel, such as intelligence or strength. As the Dalai Lama states, “Whatever inequalities there may be between individuals in their circumstances —such as wealth, class, health, and so on — we are all born with a basic equality of our human nature, with certain potentialities; certain cognitive, emotional, and physical abilities…” (136). The Dalai Lama then goes on to say, “In my native Tibet, the value of a person rests not on physical appearance, not on intellectual or athletic achievement, but on the basic, inane capacity for compassion in all human beings” (137). The world needs to regulate the use of these genetic technologies and ensure that they are only used in cases where it is the only option. Creating designer babies, or using genetic technologies for aesthetic or selfish purposes is generating negative ramifications in all aspects of life. In the words of The Dalai Lama, “At the social level, it will reinforce — even perpetuate — our disparities, and it will make their reversal much more difficult. … On the ethical level, these kinds of pseudonature-based differences can severely undermine our basic moral sensibilities insofar as these sensibilities are based on a mutual recognition of shared humanity.” Despite cloning for medical or therapeutic purposes, cloning for reproductive purposes alone is unnecessary and unethical.