Markus Langston was standing in front of the microphone. He tapped it twice.

" Your honor, I was called here as a result of public unrest, to question whether the clones possess a soul. I believe this matter, though indeed somewhat remote, is essential, as it can pose a basis on which to treat not only the perpetrator, and the other six clones, but also the company by which they were created."

He turned to look at the jury.

" There are two points of view from which this issue can be addressed. First, the practical view of the soul, as the sum of life, identity and purpose, can guide us to a reasonable deduction.

Life must be questioned first of all. While it is unlikely to prove a subject as animate, one must accept that it is possible to ascertain oneself of the existence of life by means of intellect. The only thing that separates a living organism from a well-programmed well-behaved machine is it's manner of creation. While manufacturing serves only the manufacturer's goal, birth is a proccess which empowers the flow of evolution. And, while an organic body can be percieved as a very complex machine, birth, creation by means of genetic coupling, in all its purposeful randomness, cannot be replaced by any kind of man-directed fabrication. The clones, serving no evolutionary goal, and, while organic, not born, can be said to possess no more life than a complex computer. They are, in this case, subject to T.I.'s desire, and any alleged crime they may have commited is nothing more than a grievous malfunction.

Even if the above is denied, and the clones are considered alive, one must continue questionning their identity and purpose. It is a fact that the clones mirror in a perfect manner the genetic pattern of their progenitor. In fact, given the proccess of their creation, they could be considered as parts of the progenitor's body : they share his DNA, and exist to heal him, serving a role similar to an internal organ. In the latter case, they are non-entities, under the illusion of self consciousness. Alive but soulless, as a single human cell is alive, but not human itself. The fact that at least one of them has behaved inadequately does not differentiate them from their progenitor's heart, which , also, has proven itself inefficient. As of the accused clone's actions, they are not proof in the existence of spirit or soul. For, while we can guess its motives in finding his progenitor, Magna, and killing him, or in fleeing into a church, we are doing nothing more than guesswork, seeing what we expect to see, in our misconception of the clone as human. True motive and thought may not be present. Also, there is no spiritual significance to the fact that it was a church the clone chose as refuge. Even if we had believed its actions as deliberate, there could not possibly be a way for it to recognize and comprehend the symbolical meaning of a church, given that the clone was never presented with such knowledge.

On the other hand, to assume that, somehow, the progenitor's identity survives in them wholly, is implausible practically, for, while they have the same biological body, they lack experience and memory, which undoubtedly are important aspects of the self. Furthermore, this train of thought, should it be accepted, would lead to the conclusion that at some point in time, several Magnas existed simultaneously, which is, of course, unacceptable.

To examine the latter more thouroughly, we must abandon the practical view. Religion and theology teach us that the soul is given to man by God. As it remains yet undetected by science, we must accept this for a fact, or completely

deny its existence. Is it sane, thus, to assume that the gift of the soul can be affected by human meddling? Surely not. The soul, therefore, cannot be transplanted nor split, as it exists not in a human's genetic code, but in his relation to God. Magna's soul has departed. It does not reside in any man-made body, nor has it ever been subject to manipulation.

There remain two possibilities. Either the clones are soulless, or they possess unique individual souls, like humans. At which point, though, during their strictly monitored creation did God's hand gift them with a soul? Clones, as opposed to human beings, have not been created by God : they are not part of evolution or nature. They are products of a careful human decision, living tools used for a single well-defined purpose. They would not have existed were that decision different, were they unneeded, they should have stopped existing when their purpose was fulfilled. They have no soul.

Oh, some will say that it was under God's Will that they were created. I find this particular subject above my capabilities. I choose not to elaborate on it, further than questionning myself how it is that some are so distinctly , and may I say conveniently, aware of God's Intentions, while the rest of us are so ignorant.

My conclusion is this : the clones, by their nature, are neither guilty nor innocent of murder. True, one of them commited the act of killing a man, though the blame and responsibility belongs to their creators. It was through their errors that this act was made possible. It is they that must be thoroughly questioned, their procedures be examined, if there is to be any result at all from this trial. And if it comes to be so, there is nothing of much interest to be done with the clones.
Should they be returned to Tarin Industries, or be confiscated, should they be terminated or kept, it is of little ethical consequence. "

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