Artificial Life: Current Advances and Future Challenges

Living things are all made up of cells. Cells are the smallest unit of all living organisms. Without cells, there wouldn’t be any life. So, once you have made cells, you could make life. The characteristics that define life include the ability to respond to the environment, the ability to grow, reproduce, and pass down traits, respirate, and excrete.

Advancements and Upcoming Obstacles in Artificial Life

The ability to feed and use nutrients is also crucial. If an entity lacks these abilities, it is not considered a living thing. An artificial cell is a man-made cell that has traits and functions similar to those of a biological cell. In other words, an artificial cell can perform tasks according to its engineered design. The creation of an artificial cell involves decoding the chromosome of a biological cell, reading each of its cells, and copying the genetic code. Using that code, scientists engineer a new chromosome by assembling pieces of DNA from the old one. This engineered chromosome is then injected into a new bacterial cell, which clones itself. This breakthrough allows scientists to customize cells by selecting desired traits from other cells, potentially benefiting humanity. The advancement in artificial cell technology offers hope for reversing global warming and treating diseases such as cancer. It also presents possibilities for organ transplants, which are often expensive and rare.

Potential Benefits of Artificial Cells

Artificial cells have the potential to extend human lifespan, contingent upon our ability to harness this power. This technology could benefit individuals with diseases like cancer. For instance, doctors could use artificial cells to create new organs, such as lungs, using the patient's DNA, eliminating compatibility issues. Additionally, artificial cells could be engineered to combat harmful bacteria more effectively than traditional white blood cells. This technology could also play a role in addressing global warming by creating bacteria that consume greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, and produce oxygen. If developed further, artificial cells could enable individuals to live indefinitely by replacing damaged organs, preventing deaths from organ failure or cancer.

Challenges and Ethical Concerns

However, artificial cells, like biological cells, require sustenance. When injected into a patient to combat diseases, artificial bacteria feed on the disease. Once the disease is eradicated, they may consume other bacteria within the patient, potentially behaving like cancer. Similarly, reversing the greenhouse effect by releasing bacteria that consume carbon dioxide could lead to an imbalance in oxygen and other gases, resulting in ecological consequences. Excessive oxygen and a lack of CO2 could lead to plant death, triggering a chain reaction affecting herbivores, carnivores, and potentially causing mass extinction. The concept of eternal life raises concerns about overpopulation, as births continue without corresponding deaths. Some religious perspectives argue that humans are assuming the role of God, lacking the wisdom to create life responsibly. Humans cannot foresee the full implications of creating life, as demonstrated by bacteria engineered to consume oil spills, which may turn to other food sources once the oil is depleted.

Religious and Philosophical Perspectives

The notion of playing God is echoed in religious texts. For instance, the Bible states, "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3, New International Version), emphasizing the divine order. Similarly, "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you; He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:8, New International Version) suggests that humans lack the foresight and wisdom to undertake divine roles. Both Allah in Islam and Jesus Christ in Christianity are believed to have created a perfect world, negating the need for human intervention. The process of creation, from water to land, vegetation, celestial bodies, and living creatures, is perceived as a divine act of perfection.

Conclusion

On the fifth day, birds and sea creatures were created, followed by land animals, including humans, on the sixth day. This divine creation is seen as perfection. By creating artificial life, humans are perceived as assuming the role of God. As humans, we lack the wisdom and foresight to undertake such responsibilities. While experimentation may yield some advancements, safely creating life forms remains elusive due to potential harm. Overall, I disagree with the creation of artificial life.

References

New International Version Bible. (n.d.). Exodus 20:3. Retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A3&version=NIV

New International Version Bible. (n.d.). Deuteronomy 31:8. Retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+31%3A8&version=NIV