Paul Kokoski
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Dear editor,
Science clearly tells us that full human life begins at conception with the formation of a genetically complete, self-directing human entity, the embryo. Life does not result from the organism when it has been built up, but rather the vital principle builds up the organism of its own body. This was established 120 years ago by Wilhelm His, the father of human embryology.
The basic rule for ethicists is, ``If it is a human, it is always a person.” Hence, human embryos are ``life forms.” In fact, the human being receives his or her personhood (human existence and individual soul) at the same instant of conception. The embryo, therefore, is not a ``potential” person but a person with ``potential.”
In suggesting otherwise the Korea Constitutional Court advocates a form of atheistic materialism that reduces man to a mere machine. When man is nothing more than a product he becomes subject to the control of man.
Imperfect individuals must then be weeded out; the path of planning and production must aim to be the perfect man. Suffering must disappear, and life must consist of pleasure alone.
In the final analysis such an ideology denigrates the importance of faith and encourages consumerism, selfishness, power, and pleasure-seeking. Unfortunately this is rapidly becoming the new dogma of genetic engineering.