Jurassic Park and Cloning - Essay Example

Running Head: Jurassic Park and Cloning Jurassic Park and Cloning Lalitha ID 11888 Cloned dinosaurs which have been recreated using damaged dinosaur DNA found in mosquitoes mixed with reptilian, avian, or amphibian DNA to fill in the sequence gaps - this forms the central theme of the famous novel 'Jurassic Park' conceived by the popular writer of science fiction, Michael Crichton. In a richly detailed book, Crichton has captured the essence of cloning technology gone wild. With a terrifying scope and with plenty of heart pounding danger as well, the characters and science hold readers spell-bound and leave them with questions and new views of science and nature. Many issues of today are addressed in the book including breakthroughs in genetic bio-engineering, human cloning, biotechnology, science, evolution, feminism, and new age philosophy, religion, etc. The concept of human cloning and its implications are discussed here. On a remote island off the western coast of Costa Rica, a wealthy entrepreneur, John Hammond, secretly builds a theme park featuring live dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. John Hammond, explains that a purely safe and enjoyable Jurassic Park, is actually possible since man can accomplish anything he sets his mind to "Creation is a sheer act of will!" he adds. Before opening the attraction to the public, he invites a top paleontologist, Allan Grant, a paleobotanist, Ellie Sattler, a mathematician/theorist, Ian Malcolm and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park. Their visit is anything but enjoyable or peaceful as the park's security system breaks down and the prehistoric creatures like T-Rexes and raptors including pterodactyls and compsognathus break out. Ian Malcolm, the mathematician, having been consulted before the park's creation, is emphatic in his prediction that the park will collapse. How do you control animals no one has ever seen before "There is a problem with that island. It is an accident waiting to happen." he emphasizes. He acts as a spokesperson for the disbelievers throughout the book. He repeatedly tries to help those in the team to understand their predicament and survive. But a series of arrogant mistakes on their part plunge the park into great chaos. What was attempted to be the greatest scientific discovery of genetic bio-engineering turns out to prove totally destructive leaving in its trail a lot of deaths, defeats, unanswered questions and frightening possibilities. Among the various issues that a book raises, the one that has unnerving implications and therefore has attracted a lot of attention and argument is the concept of human cloning. The possibility of human cloning, raised when Scottish scientists at Roslin Institute created the much-celebrated sheep "Dolly" (Nature 385, 810-13, 1997), aroused worldwide interest and concern because of its scientific and ethical implications. This scientific feat, cited by Science magazine as the breakthrough of 1997, also generated uncertainty over the meaning of "cloning" - a term traditionally used by scientists to describe different processes for duplicating biological material for the purpose of reproduction or therapeutic purposes. Experts believe that with many unknown factors concerning reproductive cloning, the attempt to clone humans is potentially dangerous and ethically irresponsible. Due to the inefficiency of animal cloning (only about 1 or 2 feasible offsprings for every 100 experiments) and the lack of understanding about reproductive cloning, many scientists and physicians also strongly feel that it would be unethical to attempt to clone humans. Not only do most attempts to clone mammals fail, about 30% of clones born alive are affected with various syndromes. Several cloned animals have died prematurely from infections and other complications. The same problems would be expected in human cloning. Another significant aspect where humans are concerned is their reasoning ability. While factors such as intellect and mood may not be important for animals, they are crucial for the development of healthy humans. Many experts suspect that human clones could additionally suffer psychological harm because they might feel that their lives had already been lived by someone else. In the book, Malcolm says, "One can't clone hundreds of prehistoric dinosaurs, put them in an environment, and expect to control the results." Malcolm adds, "Genetic power is the most awesome force the planet's ever seen, but, you wield it like a kid that's found his dad's gun." Genetic engineering rises above nuclear and chemical or computer technology because of its ability to restructure the very molecular heart of living creatures to create new organisms. Use of such power requires wisdom and patience. Malcolm punctuates his criticism saying, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." On the other hand, therapeutic cloning will allow scientists to create organs that are a perfect match for those in need of a transplant. The cloned organ would be based on the recipient's genetic material and would not require the use of debilitating immunosuppressive therapies. There would also be no chance of rejection, which is fatal. Therapeutic cloning represents the ideal in organ transplantation, as it would provide an unlimited source of organs to anyone who needs them. Opinion polls have been divided on the issue. Washington Post of 28 February, 2003 carries the news item "by an overwhelming margin, the House voted yesterday to outlaw all forms of human cloning. The legislation, which passed 241 to 155, would prohibit the production of cloned human embryos for medical research as well as the creation of cloned babies. It parallels a 2001 vote in which a significant number of Democrats joined Republicans in voting to make cloning a federal crime- an act that many consider tantamount to playing God. Opinion Research Corporation International conducted another public opinion poll on behalf of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR). CAMR is comprised of American patient groups, universities, and scientific societies. It has spearheaded the political campaign to opposing a ban on therapeutic cloning. The poll asked the opinion of 1,012 adult Americans on 2003-MAR-6 55% want Congress to ban reproductive cloning but allow therapeutic cloning. 30% want a ban on therapeutic and reproductive cloning. 12% want no ban on either form of cloning. 3% were undecided The positive votes came mainly from Crichton himself and the public. Thinking back on his research for the book, Michael Crichton said, "I began to think it really could happen." The official Jurassic Park Souvenir magazine said, "The story of Jurassic Park is not far-fetched. It is based on actual, ongoing genetic and paleontologic research. In the words of Steven Spielberg: "This is not science fiction; it's science eventuality." 58% of 1000 people polled for USA Today said they believe that scientists will be able to recreate animals through genetic engineering. For supporters of cloning technology, this is seen as a chance to redo mankind endowed with health, prosperity, and nobility; it is also seen as the ultimate proof of man's unlimited potential. Opposed to this view are certain statements from other scientists. Some scientists say that reconstituting any creature from its DNA simply won't work. And others summarize the huge obstacles when they say that researchers have yet not found an amber-trapped insect containing dinosaur blood. They have no guarantee that the cells in the blood, and the DNA in the cells, will be preserved intact. They don't know how to split the DNA into a meaningful form or fill the gaps with DNA from living creatures. And they don't have an embryo cell to use as a vehicle for cloning. And another statement says that, even therapeutic or experimental cloning, creates a new life without a father, and reduces a mother to the provider of an almost emptied egg. But, it is a new human life and the decision to destroy it and limit its use to scientific research for therapeutic ends enhances the moral issues rather than protect mankind. As such, cloning embryonic human life under any circumstance crosses an ethical line, takes an irrevocable step, from which science can never turn back. As Malcolm says "The planet is not in jeopardy. We are in jeopardy. We haven't got the power to destroy the planet - or to save it. But we might have the power to save ourselves." As we can see the point to be made here is that technology is not the villain. It is how the world views developments from various cultural and sociological aspects that determine how computers, biotechnology, or any other neo-technology can be used. The problem with Jurassic Park was the arrogance of human will and lack of humility, not technology. Any discovery meets with opposition since it seeks to explore the unknown. The concept of human cloning has also met with its share of controversies that still rage on. Feasibility, ethics, fear and implications are some of the reasons for this divided opinion. "What you call discovery, I call the rape of the natural world." says Malcolm. And any scientific invention will always has two schools of thought and takes a very long time to gain acceptance. One can argue the pros and cons of this particular issue endlessly. "But scientific power is like inherited wealth: attained without discipline", Malcolm rightfully adds. So it is left to us human beings to use our faculties to discern right from wrong aimed at conserving our planet without assuming arrogance or taking the world in our hands. References Bohlin, Ray (1996). The world view of Jurassic Park. Retrieved 28 March 2008 from http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/jurassic.html Crichton, Michael. (1990) Jurassic park. New York: Alfred A Knopf Inc. Eilperin, Juliet and Weiss, Rick (2003). Human genome program. Washington Post Staff Writers. Page 6. 28 February. Retrieved 20 March 2008 from http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml Lehmann-Haupt, Christopher (1990). Book of the times; of dinosaurs returned and fractals fractured. Published in The New York Times. 15 November 1990. Retrieved 28 March 2008 from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html Terry, Susan (1994).Jurassic Park: the science and ethics of genetic engineering. Woodrow Wilson Biology Institute. Retrieved 28 March 2008 from http://www.techtrain.org/verizon/webquest/resources_to_consider.html Read More