Frankenstein’s Siblings

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has added his voice to the debate over the implementation of some of the proposals in the Government’s Human Fertilisation & Embryology Bill.  The Bill was debated in the Commons for the first time on Sunday.

 

The main thrust of the proposals are for scientists to have more control over human embryos created in the laboratory for research purposes, specifically the creation of ‘saviour siblings’.  In other words genetically identical embryos used to harvest material for the alleviation of various genetic diseases.

 

Dr Williams argues for a reasoned consideration of the implications for such research.  Research, that he considers may well lead to a significant change in the way humans regard themselves in terms of scientific investigation:

 

I am yet to be convinced that the measures relating to non-reproductive cloning will not open the way to a less consistently respectful attitude to life or that those concerning “saviour siblings” similarly protect against a person being treated primarily as a tool for another’s ends.

 

Typically, for a theologian, he opines that science can never provide us with a complete moral paradigm:

 

But it’s quite important also to say that science in itself is never going to be able to tell us what the right thing is for us to do – it can tell us only what’s possible.

 

It is true that such reasoned debate must take place in order to provide us, the ill-informed, time-poor plebs. with legislation that takes account of a broad cross-section of public opinion.  Therefore, any such scrutiny carried out on our behalf must ensure the ethical, religious and moral dimensions are examined as well as the economic and scientific ones.

 

This writer cannot help but hypothesise a dark, neo-Orwellian future where human research is no longer the preserve of the mad scientist, and welcomes an honest deliberation of the facts, as well as the emotional and spiritual aspects.