Disclaimer: I am not a scientist.
I'm merely pining about logical possibilities. The joyous thing about being in a rational world, is that we can ponder the nature of reality without first-hand scientific knowledge... So long as we accept the possibility of being wrong. We can do that without rationality - look at most religions. Christians think the Earth has only been here about 5,000 years. Scientology is even more abstract in it's theory. When we examine reality from an objective perspective however, the scope of potential reality becomes a bit more tangible. Perhaps this is the feeling of being "Down to earth."
At anyrate...
While in the shower today, I was thinking about the Parthenogenesis (I'm not sure how it came up, but it worked it's way into my facebook status too.) To explain; Parthenogenesis is a means of reproduction without a same-species mate. Aphids are a great example. A single female aphid can reproduce with out ANY other contact among aphids... and not by that amoebic splitting of one's self either. They actually produce eggs that can hatch - no fertilization required. This is different from asexual animals, in that asexual animals may have a gender when born, but can become the opposite sex while they're alive. It usually happens when the species produces too many of one gender, and the animals need more of one gender or the other for reproduction's sake.
What humans do (I believe this is the right word, please correct me if I'm wrong) is Ephebogenesis. That is, we reproduce sexually, via one male and one female.
So what's my point in all this?
The purpose of Ephebogenesis is the genepool. An Aphid, which reproduces parthenogenetically, uses the same genetic material, same DNA to reproduce. It isn't until a male Aphid (which are rare) adds his DNA to the mix, that the genetic make up of the aphid ever changes.
So, genetic mutation doesn't occur in aphids without a male. Men carry the new genes to other women who produce offspring with their combined DNA. - That's how we work all the time.
I'm not really focusing on the scientific aspects of this, but more spitting out a few thoughts I had as a result...
So, first off, Parthenogenesis is an already existing NATURAL form of cloning. Same DNA, same EXACT creature as the one that gave birth to it.
Given this - while certain personality characteristics may be identical within the offspring, it's worth stating - The possibility of cloning a human and "resurrecting" the same person via cloning - Fundamentally impossible. You might create a person that looks the same, or similar and has the same genetic issues, the same disposition to certain diseases and the like but you can NEVER get the same actual person.
My point in all this, is to say... Sentience, personality and character are not programmed. There is no such thing as "genetic knowledge" of who you are. This also means we are born Tabula Rasa. Who you are, and who you become are a combination of conditioning, and choice. I say this, because were genetic make up the determinant in behavior, character, or personality, all these aphids would make the same turns, the same motions, land on the same leaves as their identical copies, all the time. In truth, they spread out across a plant as they consume it, and don't necessarily land all in the same little section of the plant... even though their genes are IDENTICAL to the one next to them.
Maybe I'm missing a fundamental element of meiosis, but when you have hundreds of offspring from a single mother, chances are at least ONE had the same exact development that another did.
I'm just sayin'.
Tonight's Brew:
Stone Collaboration Session Ale - Joint effort between Stone Brewing, Ballast Point and Kelsey McNair Brewing Companies.
The ever epic and awesome Odell Mountain Standard Reserve '09.
