[XenoSapien]

I just heard on the news that within 3-10 years, artificial life will be possible.

My first thought, is that I've heard more people than not say how we're overpopulated as is. I speculate that to a degree, proof of that is that abortion is still going on.

My second thought: will this person have a soul?

XenoSapien

[NeedKarma]

I don't think abortion is related to overpopulation, not sure how you made that link. Birth control is related to overpopulation.

[Capuchin]

And it depends what you mean by a soul. I don't believe that I have a "soul". I'm blood, bones and gristle.

What do they mean by artificial life? Test tube babies? Androids? Nano-bots? Self-replicating helixes in a plasma chamber? It could come in many guises.

[XenoSapien]

I guess then, this question is for people who believe in a 'soul'.

XenoSapien

[J_9]

Here is the link.

FOXNews.com - Scientists Believe Artificial Life Will Be Possible in 3 to 10 Years - Science News | Current Articles

[Capuchin]

If you don't believe that dogs and other animals have souls, then why should these life forms?

God gives the soul to humans right? So these guys aren't even made by God, why's he going to go around giving out his souls like that? :)

[firmbeliever]

I just heard on the news that within 3-10 years, artificial life will be possible.

My first thought, is that I've heard more people than not say how we're overpopulated as is. I speculate that to a degree, proof of that is that abortion is still going on.

My second thought: will this person have a soul?

XenoSapien

I am a believer in the Almighty Creator and humans having souls.
As a believer in both I do not think anyone is capable of creating a fully functioning living being .

As the book I believe states-
"O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): Verily! Those on whom you call besides Allâh, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatched away a thing from them, they would have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought."
--------------------------------------
Another thing is in your referenced article it says
"Bedau figures there are three major hurdles to creating synthetic life:

— A container, or membrane, for the cell to keep bad molecules out, allow good ones, and the ability to multiply.
— A genetic system that controls the functions of the cell, enabling it to reproduce and mutate in response to environmental changes.
— A metabolism that extracts raw materials from the environment as food and then changes it into energy."

In the light of the above points I would like to say that there is no chance of contributing to overpopulation as it does not seem really likely to create a pseudo human or human in the first place.
Another thing is that abortion does not lean towards overpopulation, but more towards careless teenagers and/or adults who do not want children ( or parents who donot want unhealthy children).

[Capuchin]

Ah! Xeno thank you for explaining, in that case yes, you must ask yourself just how close to true life this artificial life is :)

Since God created all life, and gave each member a soul, when we create life, do we do likewise, even if it is not a conscious step?
Is the process of changing something from a bundle of chemicals into a living breathing replicating thing equivalent to giving it a soul?

(I am of course trying to extrapolate from not my own beliefs but from the beliefs of others, so I hope you will forgive and correct any errors in assumption that I make).

[XenoSapien]

Understood, and a fair angle to take on it, Capuchin. After soaking in your good questions, I was quickly reminded of a bumper-sticker I once saw:

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you" --Signed, God.

From my angle, there is pre-determination. Before you or I or anyone else was just an "itch in our daddy's pants", God chose where to deliver each human, creature and kind.

With this artificial life, it is man making that choice, although still very much a life, yet not a pre-determination by God but rather by man, hence man "playing God", and that is where I have hit the crossroads. Will they/will they not have a soul?

XenoSapien

[firmbeliever]

Hey Xenosapien,
I think you are right man "playing God", which would mean it is not real.

And life itslef, giving or taking is not in the hands of man, it is with the Creator.So there is no question of a soul or not.

Just my 2 cents :)

P.S
And Xenosapien you said "not a pre-determination by God"
There's nothing in this world or beyond that the Almighty has not " pre-determined".

Don't you think?

[ebaines]

I don't think abortion is related to overpopulation, not sure how you made that link. Birth control is related to overpopulation.

Not to get too far off topic here, but in fact abortion may be related to over-population, as in China. In much of the country the government enforces a mandatory 1-child rule, which leads to (a) either forced abortions of those who become pregnant after already having a child in violation of the rule, or (b) voluntary abortions if the sex of the one child you are allowed to have is found to be "wrong." Of course the government claims that (b) is illegal, but the reality is that vastly more female fetuses than male are aborted in China.

[XenoSapien]

Well said, ebaines. It was funny how a co-worker and I were talking about China and that very issue. I thought that you had to petition the government to have any child, but I guess my co-worker was right that you could have one; then after that, you have to petition, right?

XenoSapien

[NeedKarma]

How many countries on this planet have that rule?

[CaptainRich]

Medical science is bringing more bodies into the world through science. And keeping more bodies alive through science. We've studied the human body and I've never once heard anyone (doctor/scientist/teacher/etc) say they've ever seen a soul. We can already generate tissue in a dish, thanks to science. An entire human only takes nine month gestation, give or take a few weeks or days. And if it's "too early", still frequently, that body survives, too. Why wouldn't that same science be applied to the generation of the entire grouping of cells. Maybe if they had no soul, that body wouldn't comprehend pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. What if that was good?

[XenoSapien]

Medical science is bringing more bodies into the world through science. And keeping more bodies alive through science. We've studied the human body and I've never once heard anyone (doctor/scientist/teacher/etc) say they've ever seen a soul. We can already generate tissue in a dish, thanks to science. An entire human only takes nine month gestation, give or take a few weeks or days. And if it's "too early", still frequently, that body survives, too. Why wouldn't that same science be applied to the generation of the entire grouping of cells. Maybe if they had no soul, that body wouldn't comprehend pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. What if that was good?

In my experience, science in general doesn't care much for something they cannot prove exists; there is no 'hard-evidence' of a soul, which is why it is something that is only found because of a belief.
If they had no soul, I believe as you do: the body wouldn't be able to comprehend pride, covetouness, lust, anger etc. but also I believe the body also wouldn't understand goodness, kindness, righteousness nor even God. In other words, a sociopathic creature that cannot distinguish the difference between right and wrong. I believe that it is the soul that can give a body the opportunity to distinguish the difference; it's up to the mind to accept the soul's interpretation and hence make consciencious choices.

XenoSapien

[Capuchin]

So a fly knows right from wrong, but doesn't have a big enough brain to take advantage of that information?

[XenoSapien]

So a fly knows right from wrong, but doesn't have a big enough brain to take advantage of that information?

Good angle, but no, a fly does not know right from wrong because animals are basically one-dimensional thinkers. They only know survival; food, shelter, water and procreation. They do not have rational thinking as humans do.

Think of the soul like this, Capuchin: As I've stated, all creatures have one. All living things have at least one thing in common; we are all alive.

But the difference, for an example, between say a human and a craw-dad is their physical make-up. Our skeletons are on the inside, theirs is on the outside; yet we are still BOTH living creatures.

Much the same is the soul. We all have one, but that of animals is different than a human's. My perspective about knowing right from wrong is strictly a human angle; not that of an animal. Perhaps I should have made that clear.

XenoSapien

[Capuchin]

Okay, thank you for taking the time to explain, so the complexity of their soul is roughly related to the size of their brain?

[XenoSapien]

Lol, no! :) I would guess not... but then, there are dumb animals! :)

XenoSapien

[CaptainRich]

In my experience, science in general doesn't care much for something they cannot prove exists; there is no 'hard-evidence' of a soul, which is why it is something that is only found because of a belief.
If they had no soul, I believe as you do: the body wouldn't be able to comprehend pride, covetouness, lust, anger etc., but also I believe the body also wouldn't understand goodness, kindness, righteousness nor even God. In other words, a sociopathic creature that cannot distinguish the difference between right and wrong. I believe that it is the soul that can give a body the opportunity to distinguish the difference; it's up to the mind to accept the soul's interpretation and hence make consciencious choices.

XenoSapien

All of what you're describing sound very much like rasing a child: they need taught right from wrong, don't put your finger in the socket...

And you can't explained why "normally" generated bodies go lunatic or psycho, or any of the other birth/growth anomalies that abound.