01-12-2006, 06:20 AM
Just as a biological aside (not really to do with the Hindu part): There are hardly any eukaryotic organisms (That includes us) which can really go without sex. Clonal reproduction is far cheaper, safer and more effective than sexual reproduction in terms of the basic biological factor: increasing fitness (=reproductive success). Yet it appears that most lineages that lost sex became extinct rapidly, and sex is preserved in eukaryotes overriding the other costs. So what ever the case clonal reproduction is not here to stay as a long term reproductive strategy. We also do not clearly if certain issues such as chromosomal defects and epigenetic problems subtly affect the fitness of clones. I also fail to see if cloning will ever be a better choice over regular gene therapy for obtaining desirable traits in offspring.
Hence, I think cloning is good for therapeutic purposes, but it is not a great idea for reproduction.
Mythologically the Hindu system has imagined cloning (the dhArtarAshTras), spare organs outside the body (ahi-rAvana), and artificial insemination for superior offspring (vasiShTha). So I believe there is nothing out of the way for Hindus to accept these matters. Given that many hindus believe in a non-material Atman, its decoupling with embryogenesis and the like, there may also not be any issues with stem cells.
Would anyone feel that the Japanese humanoid robot will have an Atman?
Hence, I think cloning is good for therapeutic purposes, but it is not a great idea for reproduction.
Mythologically the Hindu system has imagined cloning (the dhArtarAshTras), spare organs outside the body (ahi-rAvana), and artificial insemination for superior offspring (vasiShTha). So I believe there is nothing out of the way for Hindus to accept these matters. Given that many hindus believe in a non-material Atman, its decoupling with embryogenesis and the like, there may also not be any issues with stem cells.
Would anyone feel that the Japanese humanoid robot will have an Atman?