In this blog post, we will consider the direction of future society, focusing on the bioethical dilemmas and human dignity issues raised by cloning technology.
The Future of Cloned Animals and Humans
Genes and other nuclear material are extracted from the somatic cells of an animal. This nuclear material is then transferred to an egg cell of the same species, reprogrammed, and implanted into a uterus. After a process of cultivation, an animal with the same genes as the animal that provided the somatic cells is born. This process is called “cloning,” and animals born through this process are called “cloned animals.” If this technology is applied to humans, “cloned humans” will be born. The concept of cloned humans has existed only in the imagination for a long time, but with the advancement of modern science and technology, there is talk that cloned humans may become a reality in the near future.
The emergence of cloned humans is bound to raise ethical controversies. If cloned humans become a reality, they will have the same genes as the original humans, but their psychological and emotional experiences may differ. In that case, what meaning would this cloned “me” have to the original me? And how would this change society? These questions go beyond simple scientific questions and require deep philosophical and social discussion.
New ethical dilemmas created by cloned humans
The movie “The Island” focuses on what kind of life cloned humans will experience in the future and presents two major social problems that may arise with the emergence of cloned humans. The first problem is that cloned humans are forced to live a restricted and unfree life in a confined space under strict control. The second problem is that they are brutally killed and exploited.
The movie begins by showing the daily life of the main character, a cloned human named Lincoln Six-Echo. He wakes up from a recurring nightmare, and the screen shows a program built into his bed detecting his brain waves. Then, a program in the bathroom analyzes the components of his urine to identify any nutrients he is lacking and provides him with a breakfast menu based on that information. These scenes seem to symbolize the hope that future science and technology will provide a better life for humans. However, as the movie progresses, we realize that this “convenient” life can actually be a means of suppressing human freedom.
The reason cloned humans are so strictly controlled is because they are treated as tools for extending human life. The purpose of cloned humans is to provide organs when their original humans, or clients, need them. Cloned humans undergo thorough health management to ensure they can provide healthy organs, and their freedom is restricted. This setting highlights the fact that cloned humans function merely as “insurance” for life extension, explaining why they are so strictly monitored.
The ethical issues raised by the existence of cloned humans go beyond their oppressed lives. In the movie, cloned humans live in a strictly controlled environment without knowing their true purpose. Their only goal is to go to a fictional place called “The Island,” believing that it is their only hope. However, this place does not actually exist, and the clones who are “selected” are brutally murdered for their organs. This cruel reality depicts how clones are reduced to tools in the name of “life extension” and raises the question of what price must be paid for extending human life.
Ethical and social implications of cloning technology
The birth of cloned humans will not only raise ethical issues, but also bring about serious changes throughout society. If cloned humans actually exist, will they exist merely as tools for humans, or will they be recognized as individuals with dignity in their own right? This raises the issue of conflict between the rights of cloned humans and the rights of humans.
If cloned humans exist, how should their humanity and rights be protected? Will a society emerge in which cloned humans can assert their rights as independent beings, rather than simply being used as tools to extend the life of the original humans? These questions make us imagine the future that scientific and technological advances will bring, and spark debate on whether cloned humans can go beyond being mere tools for extending life and establish themselves as new social beings.
Another problem that may arise when human cloning technology becomes commercially available is social change due to the extension of human life. If the average life expectancy increases through organ transplants, the aging society will accelerate and the scarcity of resources will become even more serious. These problems may exacerbate the current resource distribution issues, and the social changes brought about by human cloning technology will present new challenges that science cannot solve.
The emergence of cloned humans raises questions for our society that go beyond simply extending life or advancing technology. The existence of cloned humans will require a new paradigm for human dignity, bioethics, and social responsibility. The future of cloned humans is not simply a technical issue, but a time for in-depth discussion of humanity, ethics, and social responsibility.
