books and arts

Playing God?
Scientists must let society decide on the ethics of reproductive technologies.

MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY

Whose View of Life? Embryos, Maienschein’s histo- paradox that “playing
Cloning and Stem Cells rical account is both God” is by no means
by Jane Maienschein engaging and accurate, necessarily evil — many
Harvard University Press: 2003. 304 pp. but there are certain gaps religious people hold that
$27.95, £18.50 in this excellent book. imitatio Dei is morally
Robert Winston Much of the book is cen- positive. If humans are
tred on experience in the indeed made in the image
In 1692, Nicolaas Hartsoeker drew what he United States; there is no of God, then playing
thought he saw through his microscope: a reference to the growing God — using God-given
human sperm, containing in its head a interest in these tech- intelligence and hence
homunculus, a perfectly formed little person. nologies in the Far East, technology — to promote
This arresting view of life’s beginnings still and no mention of reli- and enhance life may be
reminds us that scientists are not always gious attitudes outside highly ethical.
objective; they can be persuaded to see what the Judaeo-Christian tra- Better discussion of
they believe to exist. The preformationists, dition. Nor is there any some ethical principles
who believed that sperm contain miniature analysis of the debates in would also be relevant.
people, followed a line of thought stretching either Britain or Aus- Why the “horror” of
back to Aristotle. A hundred years later, tralia — two countries human cloning? If clon-
Rabbi Pinhas Elijah recalled Hartsoeker’s that have contributed ing could be developed
drawing and argued that the ancient sages extensively to advances without the risk of
were right after all — destruction of the in this field. After all, producing abnormal off-
seed is murder, as it destroys little persons, the first IVF babies were spring, what would be
and masturbation is wrong. British, as was the first the objection then? Is
Pinhas Elijah’s reasoning was impecca- mammalian clone, and this an affront to human
ble, as far as it went. But his ethics were early work on embryonic dignity,given that around
flawed because we now know that the head stem cells was initiated 1 in 250 human births —
of the sperm does not contain a person. in Britain too. identical twins — are
Our ethical understanding must depend on There is no reference already perfect clones?
accurate observation of the natural world; either to the delibera- Maienschein correctly
consequently, ethical positions must change tions of the Warnock points out that promot-
as human knowledge improves. Commission, nor much ing an understanding of
Jane Maienschein’s latest book, Whose mention of British or science is the first step in
View of Life ?, starts with an account of the European parliamentary wise biopolicy decision-
preformationists. She maintains that the debates about IVF or making, and she helpfully
ethical, political and social issues surround- stem cells. And Maien- suggests how this might
ing modern reproductive technologies can schein ignores the fact be achieved. But more
be better understood with a historical per- that many people con- knowledge may bring
spective. She traces the history of repro- sider proper regulation more public mistrust,
duction from the recognition by Karl Ernst, to be the best way of not less. Unless scientists
Ritter von Baer, that mammals produce controlling these tech- accept that they do not
eggs, through Ernst Haeckel’s notions of nologies. Europeans are own the science, and are
comparative embryology, to Thomas Hunt concerned at the lack of not masters of technol-
Morgan’s early understanding of genetics, regulation in the United ogy, this mistrust is likely
and modern in vitro fertilization (IVF) and States, a situation so to grow. There are mas-
stem-cell biology. different from the Euro- The little people? Drawings by Nicolaas sive mountains to climb.
This is an extremely valuable approach. pean and Australian Hartsoeker and Dalepadius (inset) show A difficult change is
Scientists have repeatedly made errors of models that these should their preformationist views of sperm. needed before scientists
judgement through lack of objectivity, as surely be worthy of some accept that society must
Hartsoeker did. They have also sometimes consideration. decide what it feels is in its best interests.
arrogantly assumed that they know what is A more thorough discussion of religious Scientists need to show more objectivity,
best for society — the pursuit of eugenics attitudes would also help. Western ethics better ethical values and more concern about
in the United States, Britain and Germany centre on a belief in the sanctity of human the commercial aspects of their work.
being a case in point. Maienschein cites some life, and religious principles guide much The US-centric position that Maien-
chilling modern examples; for instance, in deliberation about these technologies. In schein adopts is disappointing. It fails to
the debates over cloning, modern scientists the United States and Europe, many people appreciate the growing global anxiety that
often ignore the cultural sensitivities of profess some belief in God, so it would big business,often based in the United States,
their society. She emphasizes that if science help to understand some of the religious will control and selfishly exploit the fruits of
is to improve the lot of humans, then views. For example, it is an oversimplifi- science. Is this likely to benefit most of us? ■
scientists must hone their moral thinking cation to imply that orthodox Jews believe Robert Winston is at the Institute of Reproductive
and be more ready to listen to the opinions that ensoulment occurs 40 days after and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith
of ordinary people. conception. And Maienschein ignores the Hospital, Imperial College, London W12 0HS, UK.
NATURE | VOL 426 | 11 DECEMBER 2003 | www.nature.com/nature © 2003 Nature Publishing Group 603