Cloning opposition

Robin Hanson (hanson@hss.caltech.edu)
Mon, 3 Mar 1997 11:32:11 -0800 (PST)

Greg Burch writes:
>Reviewing this material once again brought home to me how careful we have to
>be to always remember that the vast majority of humanity, even in "advanced"
>societies, is deeply ignorant of science and bases their most profound moral
>and political views on simple superstition and inarticulate fears.

Most people are inarticulate about most of their opinions, and deeply
ignorant of most everything. But that doesn't mean only simple
superstition is behind it.

John K Clark writes:
>Our old friend Jeremy Rifkin said there should be an immediate worldwide ban
>on cloning and that the penalty for violation should "be on a par with murder".
>A poll taken by ABC news says that 87% of Americans think cloning should be
>banned, 6% would like to be cloned.

I'd be interested to hear exactly what Rifkin and others offer as a
reason for this ban. Who exactly would be hurt and how by a human
clone? Should indentical twins be banned as well?

Robin D. Hanson hanson@hss.caltech.edu http://hss.caltech.edu/~hanson/