Wrong premise

In the otherwise flawless report (A question of faith, June 13) there is a small misrepresentation where the author has quoted my views on stem cell research (“Catholics have raised the strongest objection from the flawed premise that early-stage embryo has life”). To make my position clear, I like to emphasise that I do not deny that a single cell or a poorly-differentiated agglomeration of cells (such as bacteria, fungi, sponges or the earliest stages of mammalian embryos) has life. But as they lack an elaborated neuronal structure, they cannot be termed individuals. So they cannot be made objects of any ethical considerations. This is why we don’t even shudder when we kill millions of microbes (“organise genocides”) to maintain basic hygiene; for instance, when we disinfect our skin using spirit (alcohol). These creatures, just like primeval human cells, are not only living, but also capable of living independently. I think no mo-ral or ethical consideration can be applied on any organi-sm lying below fish in the evolutionary ladder. Even tapewo-rms should be excluded, even though they resemble human blastula (in early stage of fertilisation). Any radical views on this issue should be left to the discretion of Jains, frauds and Pope’s followers.

Fritz Erik Hoevels Freiburg,
Germany

Poles apart

T his refers to Misguided notion (June 20) and Religious science (July 18) which have proposed a communion between science and religion. Both the letter-writers must have been residing in a realm of hypocrisy. I completely agree with Fritz Hoevel’s view (A question of faith, June 13) that scientists who say they are religious are in two minds. Science or quest for truth can never remain unbridled if you accept that there is someone somewhere controlling whatever is happening in this world, which is no more than a speck of dust in space. Such a misconception not only helps the revival of ideas like ‘intelligent design’, but also encourages nonsensical astrology spread its tentacles.

Arun Sengupta
Calcutta-91