Dr. Laurence Dorr presented the audience with an introduction to philosophical thought regarding this new and stunning phenomenon called cloning. The issue of hubris was initially raised in the ancient Greek story of Icarus who made wings of wax which melted and caused his son to fall to his death after having flown too high and too near the sun. Has Man gone too far? This is the question embedded in the myth.

the story of Dr. Frankenstein and the reaction to his 'creation' was another example of going beyond what one should do, although the ability to do it exists. Once we reviled at the Frankenstein monster, now we practice Frankensteinian medicine! Man is perhaps a curious creature beyond reason. Cloning has stimulated our sense of curiosity and generated new fears. However, Dr. Dorr cautioned against the fearful over-reaction to this new technology as it is apparently in man's nature (or was) to resist change, perhaps to overreact to the new and novel and to doubt and question the value of the possible.

At this time, bacteria, small aminals and frogs as well as larger animals such as sheep and cows have been cloned. This means to take the genetic material from a living organism (frog, sheep or cow) found in its intracellular DNA, and use it to initiate the growth of a duplicate organism which will be, in every detail, a genetic copy of the initial one. Theoretically, a human being could be cloned as well, although this has not yet been attempted.

The techniques of cloning can also be used in a more limited way in growing human tissue, for example, growing corneas or lenses for the eye to be used to replace damaged or diseased ones. Perhaps livers or lungs could be produced through the cloning process, this would

certainly be a great boon to the organ transplant program (industry ?) which is severely short of adequate numbers or organs compared to those on the waiting lists. (Note how the expedient nature of intellect surfaces, always asking: "but won't it be useful?") Cloning has raised huge moral concerns and ethical questions.

Two of the main ethical objections can be cast into the ideas of 1. Man playing God going against Nature's way and 2. Cloning involves the destruction of human embryos which are 'human' and deserve the dignity of preservation. It is not commonly realized that only one out of 200 or 300 fertilized ova 'take' and go on to full developoment. Most are unsuccessful and destroyed in the process of cloning.

Surveys thus far have indicated that 74% of people interviewed are against human cloning on the basis of it being against God's will and unnatural. Man is playing God. But, has man not been playing God all along in the medical profession, doing all sorts of 'unnatural' procedures to preserve life? Is surgery natural? And many other phenomena once considered natural are no longer practiced, such as slavery, attitudes toward women, etc.

The Federal Gov't has restricted the use of its funds for cloning research on embryos. It does allow research on derivative cells. Private companies are under no significant restrictions.