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On the Sci-Fi Channel, clones are generally depicted as horrible beings appearing no different from humans save the fact they are hungry for disaster. Aside from X-Files and Star Trek, however, clones should not differ mentally from natural human thought. So is cloning really bad? Although cloning is not innately evil, negative consequences such as a stunt in adaptations and the evolutionary process, greater ease in committing crimes such as identity fraud, and degeneration of genes may occur.

Theories of evolution fascinate scientists. Coincidentally, genetic cloning also amazes them. Ironically, excess cloning may actually hinder the evolutionary process. Each set of genes contains the ability to adapt or evolve over an extended period of time. These genes, however, must be allowed to reproduce in a natural way in order to carry on or eliminate needed/unneeded genes. Cloning stunts reproduction of genes by copying them rather than allowing mutations to occur, thus, adaptations cannot occur if regeneration is eliminated.
The idea of cloning is appeals to many men and women because it offers opportunities to have a child who is unique to them alone. Cloning can also avoid completely the dangers of artificial insemination and adoption, however it is not without threat. Physically, cloning creates and exact replica of the original human, but mentally, they can differ greatly. If two clones of the same person coexist, how is society to tell them apart? Police would find great difficulty distinguishing between fingerprints and DNA at the crime scene. This also could ease the process in which identity fraud is committed due to similarities in appearance and blood type. True, not every clone would think of this or want to commit crime, but neither does every other human being.
In conjunction with slowing or eliminating the process of evolution, coning can also lead to digression of the gene pool. Any person who is technologically inclined knows not to make a copy of already copied media because with each copy the quality decreases slightly. Why, then, should the same standard not apply to human genes? Yes, the first clone should posses fairly strong genes, but what it a clone were cloned? "The cloning may lead to malformations or diseases in the human clone, as the technology is highly complicated and has greater risks and potentials for errors" (Goel, 2003). Over an elongated period of time, cloning of clones will weaken each set of genes to the point of causing negative mutations and severe health problems.
Many adults consider cloning one solution to infertility issues, but evidently, it is not the best answer. While it may seem at first to be a safe a viable alternative, the gratification of a "child" does not justify the long-term affects.

Learn more about this author, Lindsey Baker.
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