Editing J. B. S. Haldane (section)

== Social and scientific views ==

=== Human cloning ===
Haldane was the first to have thought of the genetic basis for [[human cloning]], and the eventual artificial breeding of superior individuals. For this he introduced the terms "clone" and "cloning",<ref>{{cite book|title=Should scientists pursue cloning?|last=Thomas|first=Isabel|publisher=Raintree|year=2013|isbn=978-1-4062-3391-9|location=London|page=5}}</ref> modifying the earlier "clon" that had been used in agriculture since the early 20th century (from Greek ''klōn'', twig). He introduced the term{{Dubious|1=Neologisms|date=July 2024|reason=Term is not introduced in speech}} in his speech on "Biological Possibilities for the Human Species of the Next Ten Thousand Years" at the ''[[Ciba Foundation]] Symposium on Man and his Future'' in 1963. He said:<ref>{{cite book|title=Man and his future|last=Haldane|first= J.B.S.|publisher=J. & A. Churchill|year=1963|isbn=978-0-470-71479-9|editor-last=Wolstenholme|editor-first= Gordon|series=Novartis Foundation Symposia|location=London|pages=337–361|chapter=Biological Possibilities for the Human Species in the Next Ten Thousand Years|doi=10.1002/9780470715291.ch22|chapter-url=http://www.transhumanism.org/resources/Haldanebioposs.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108083010/http://www.transhumanism.org/resources/Haldanebioposs.htm|archive-date=8 November 2014}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|It is extremely hopeful that some human cell lines can be grown on a medium of precisely known chemical composition. Perhaps the first step will be the production of a clone from a single fertilized egg, as in ''Brave New World''...

On the general principle that men will make all possible mistakes before choosing the right path, we shall no doubt clone the wrong people [such as Hitler]...

Assuming that cloning is possible, I expect that most clones would be made from people aged at least fifty, except for athletes and dancers, who would be cloned younger. They would be made from people who were held to have excelled in a socially acceptable accomplishment.}}

=== Ectogenesis and in vitro fertilisation ===
{{Eugenics sidebar}}
His essay ''[[Daedalus; or, Science and the Future]]'' (1924) posited the concept of [[in vitro fertilisation]], which he called [[ectogenesis]]. He envisioned ectogenesis as a tool for creating better individuals (eugenics).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=James |first1=David N. |title=Ectogenesis: a reply to Singer and Wells |journal=Bioethics |date=1987 |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=80–99 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8519.1987.tb00006.x |pmid=11649763}}</ref> Haldane's work was an influence on Huxley's ''[[Brave New World]]'' (1932) and was also admired by [[Gerald Heard]].<ref>"Mr. Wells' Apocalypse" by Gerald Heard. The Nineteenth Century, October 1933. Reprinted in ''The H. G. Wells Scrapbook'' by Peter Haining. London : New English Library, 1978. {{ISBN|0-450-03778-9}} (pp. 108–114).</ref> Various essays on science were collected and published in a volume entitled ''Possible Worlds'' in 1927. His book, ''A.R.P. (Air Raid Precautions)'' (1938) combined his physiological research into the effects of stress upon the human body with his experience of air raids during the [[Spanish Civil War]] to provide a scientific account of the likely effects of the air raids that Britain was to endure during the [[Second World War]].

=== Criticism of C. S. Lewis ===
Along with [[Olaf Stapledon]], [[Charles Kay Ogden]], [[I. A. Richards]], and [[H. G. Wells]], Haldane was accused by [[C. S. Lewis]] of [[scientism]]. Haldane criticised Lewis and his [[Ransom Trilogy]] for the "complete mischaracterisation of science, and his disparagement of the human race".<ref>Adams, Mark B., "The Quest for Immortality: Visions and Presentiments in Science and Literature", in Post, Stephen G., and Binstock, Robert H., ''The Fountain of Youth: Cultural, Scientific, and Ethical Perspectives on a Biomedical Goal''. Oxford University Press, 2004; {{ISBN|0-19-517008-3}} (p. 57–58).</ref> Haldane wrote a book for children entitled ''My Friend Mr. Leakey'' (1937), containing the stories "A Meal With a Magician", "A Day in the Life of a Magician", "Mr. Leakey's Party", "Rats", "The Snake with the Golden Teeth", and "My Magic Collar Stud". Later editions featured illustrations by [[Quentin Blake]]. Haldane also wrote an essay criticising Lewis's arguments for the existence of God, entitled "More Anti-Lewisite", a reference to the [[Lewisite|poison gas]] and its [[Dimercaprol|antidote]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Rice |first=Stanley |date=November–December 2020 |title=God's Pet Bunny |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/2020/11/creationist-funhouse-episode-five-gods-pet-bunny/ |url-status= |magazine=[[Skeptical Inquirer]] |location=Amherst, New York |publisher=[[Center for Inquiry]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827170906/https://skepticalinquirer.org/2020/11/creationist-funhouse-episode-five-gods-pet-bunny/ |archive-date=27 August 2021 |access-date=27 August 2021}}</ref>

=== Hydrogen-generating windmills ===
In 1923, in a talk given in Cambridge entitled "Science and the Future", Haldane, foreseeing the exhaustion of [[coal]] for power generation in Britain, proposed a network of [[hydrogen]]-generating [[windmill]]s. This is the first proposal of the [[Hydrogen economy|hydrogen-based renewable energy economy]].<ref>{{cite web |title = An Early Vision of Transhumanism, and the First Proposal of a Hydrogen-Based Renewable Energy Economy |url=http://www.historyofinformation.com/expanded.php?id=4107 |publisher = Jeremy Norman & Co., Inc. |access-date = 19 February 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = Hordeski |first = Michael Frank |title = Hydrogen & Fuel Cells: Advances in Transportation and Power |year = 2009 |publisher = The Fairmont Press, Inc. |location = Lilburn, GA |isbn=978-0-88173-562-8 |pages = 202–203 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LfFIEQg1iioC&pg=PA202 |url-status = live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308004636/https://books.google.com/books?id=LfFIEQg1iioC&pg=PA202&lpg |archive-date = 8 March 2017 |df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = Demirbas |first = Ayhan |title = Biohydrogen For Future Engine Fuel Demands |year = 2009 |publisher = Springer London |location = London |isbn=978-1-84882-511-6 |page = 106 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1w9DMBh7JOUC |edition = Online-Ausg. |url-status = live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307234653/https://books.google.com/books?id=1w9DMBh7JOUC&dq |archive-date = 7 March 2017 |df = dmy-all }}</ref>

=== Scientists ===
In his ''An Autobiography in Brief'', published shortly before his death in India, Haldane named four close associates as showing promise to become illustrious scientists: T. A. Davis, [[Dronamraju Krishna Rao]], [[Suresh Jayakar]], and S. K. Roy.<ref>"Selected Genetic Papers of JBS Haldane", pp. 19–24, New York: Garland, 1990</ref>