Human cloning
Human cloning involves the copying and replication of a part of or the whole of a human body. There have been numerous advances into the field of cloning in modern biomedical sciences, but a lot of theorized applications of cloning still belong to the world of science-fiction
Real world cloning
Human cloning beyond the embryonic stage hasn't yet happened, no matter what the raëlians say.[1] The technology has significant promise in the areas of creating rejection-resistant organs for transplant. None the less, the area is an ethical minefield.[2]
Transhumanism
A transhumanist position might be to propose consciousness transfer into a healthy or younger version of one's self as a form of biological immortality.
A cloned body is a common suggestion for reanimation from cryonic suspension rather than immediately awakening as a posthuman entity as a part of a form of technological resurrection.
Cloning in science fiction
Cloning is a relatively well-worn sci-fi trope, having been used as a major plot point in numerous films (such as Star Wars, The Sixth Day, and The Island) and other media. Cloning is often brought up as an analogy to slavery, where the clones are subservient to the whims of their master, or an examination of the concept of consciousness.
See also
- TvTropes:Expendable Clone - another one of the problems with mind uploading
- Human Cloning Foundation