Nature Vs. Nurture Human Cloning Thesis

(Myers, 2006, p. 99)

The clone's adult personality would still likely closely resemble that of the donor, but would not likely be an exact match of the other. The issue of temperament has a great deal to do with decisions, as when certain offerings are made to the individual infant, the individual infant will likely respond in a consistent manner according to his or her temperament. Temperament, according to Myers, is the least variable aspect of the individual, as seen by adoptive studies associated with what adoptive parent's can influence or change and what they can not. (p. 98)

The adult personality of monozygotic twins clearly differs, despite the fact that they share exactly the same DNA and presumably grew up in the same household. Where such individuals grew up in different households, such as is the case in adoptive twin situations the two individuals still share certain basic personality traits, i.e. those associated with temperament and therefore would make decisions when offered the same environment in a similar though not completely identical manner. (Parker & Bergmark, 2005, p. 350) It is therefore safe to assume that identical twins created in an artificial manner, i.e. through cloning will follow similar patterns of temperament, personality and identity development. The "truth" is likely somewhere closer to the middle, where nature determines many responses and opportunity changes and defines the individual.

There is even some evidence that twins who grow up in the same household may at some point choose to make opposing decisions based on the desire to assert individuality.While identical twins who grow up separately tend to make decisions-based entirely on their own accord, which presumably is similar in each individual. (Mathur, 2006, p. 34) The resulting knowledge would make it again a fair assumption that clones of one another, likely growing up in two different times or environments, presupposing that the donor individual is older than the cloned individual would be more similar, but again there is no way to prove that the desire for individuality would not supersede the genome coding. (Myers, 2006, p. 92)

There is no sure way to answer the nature vs. nurture debate, in the same way as there is no way to answer the questions that arise when one thinks about human cloning. The challenges of the debate are obvious as are some of the logical concerns about the science of human cloning. Regardless of how cloning is used ethical concerns are sure to be brought up, as they should be. Human cloning is likely to remain in the headlines, and the debate will likely continue, but in reality clear answers will also remain theoretical as experimentation on humans, clones or otherwise is strictly controlled.

References

Brannigan, M.C. (Ed.). (2001). Ethical Issues in Human Cloning Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives. New York: Seven Bridges Press.

The Case for Human Reproductive Cloning. (2002, November/December). Canadian Speeches, 16, 20.

Mathur, S. (2006). Diasporic Body Double: The Art of the Singh Twins. Art Journal, 65(2), 34.

Myers, D.G. (2006) Psychology Eight Edition in Modules. New York: Worth.....