M. Dhandapani1* & S. Boopathi2
1PhD Research Scholar, Department of English, Periyar University. *Corrresponding author.
2Assistant Professor, Department of English, Periyar University.
Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 2, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.21g
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Abstract
Nancy Farmer’s novel The House of the Scorpion deals with complex ethical dilemmas stemming from scientific advancements, particularly in cloning. The story unfolds in a dystopian society, focusing on the treatment of clones—subhuman beings relegated to slaughter or servitude. These clones provoke profound questions about human rights, autonomy, and the impact of technology. The paper scrutinizes their status as human entities, revealing the ethical violations perpetrated against them. By drawing insights from scholars like Childress, Beauchamp, Leon R. Kass, and James Q. Wilson, the study provides a nuanced exploration of the ethical dimensions surrounding clone treatment and its broader implications for autonomy.
Keywords: Autonomy, biotechnology, ethics, The House of the Scorpion, human cloning.
| Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding: No funding was received for this research. Article History: Received: 29 February 2024. Revised: 17 June 2024. Accepted: 18 June 2024. First published: 20 June 2024. Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s. License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India Citation: Dhandapani, M. & Boopathi, S. (2024). Unravelling the Ethical Enigma of Human Cloning in Nancy Farmer’s The House of the Scorpion. Rupkatha Journal 16:2. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.21g |
