Cloning and Politics

[Russell Turpin]

Jeff Bone writes:
>Thorny problem with this is that it doesn't necessarily yield the customary 
>behavior --- it's quite possible that an acceptable criterion for 
>"soulhood" might only be found sometime postpartum. ..

This can be resolved by recognizing other important issues
besides current status vis-a-vis "soulhood".

>Furthermore, what if we are able to duplicate the epiphenomenon without 
>directly implementing (rather, say, simulating --- or through other means) 
>the neurophysiological hardware and
>electrochemical context?  Have we then created human souls?

Yep.

>And what rights do those have?

It's something I hope our culture starts to discuss seriously,
well before it becomes a fait accompli.

Russell


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