The Fly

"To recapitulate: the individuality of the body is that of a flame rather than that of a stone, of a form rather of a bit of a substance. This form can be transmitted or modified and duplicated, although at present we know only how to duplicate it over a short distance. When one cell divide into two, or when one of the genes which carries out corporeal and mental birthright is split in order to make ready for a reduction division of a germ cell, we have a separation in matter which is conditioned by the power of a pattern of living tissue to duplicate itself. Since this is so, there is no absolute distinction between the types of transmission which we can use for sending a telegram from country to country and the types of transmission which at least are theoretically possible for transmitting a living organism such as a human being" (Wiener, Norbert. The Human Use of Human Beings. 1950 ).