The Use of Cloning Technologies Essay - 1543 Words

The Use of Cloning Technologies The ethical debate concerning cloning that has inevitably followed since the announcement and much celebrated birth of Dolly the Sheep in 1997, is highly charged and emotive. When human cloning is mentioned it normally has negative connotations with the individual conjuring up a mental picture of a sub-human creature with an almost Frankenstein like appearance. Many people are afraid of the idea because it is a new technology and relatively misunderstood, and with the media using shock headlines to sell newspapers, this alone feeds the fear within us. There is of course much uncertainty over the meaning of ‘cloning’. This is the generalised term used by†¦show more content†¦Those in favour of cloning technology claim that it is a far more efficient form of reproduction as the success rate is higher and better controlled, where multiple pregnancies can be eradicated if required. For those couples, who desire children but cannot reproduce naturally or with the assistance of IVF, it would enable them to have a child that is biologically related to them. The questions automatically derived from this, centre around the uncertainty of the lifespan of the clone and premature ageing: would an ‘old’ adult cell necessarily begin life again in an egg? Would a clone maintain a healthy lifestyle or would it be more prone to cancer or other diseases, and fundamentally is it ethical for scientists to defy the order of nature? When considering whether human cloning should be allowed, we must ask ourselves whether it is the natural progression of reproduction or the abolition of nature. In 2002, the organisation Clonaid announced the birth of their first human clone on 26th December. Eve was born by caesarean section having been created using similar technology to that used to clone Dolly the sheep. Clonaid claimed to have four other mothers imminently expecting to give birth to clones, one of which was to a Japanese couple who cloned their dead son after he had been killed in a motoring accident. â€Å"All five babies are fit and well† claimed DrShow MoreRelatedThe Debate of Human Cloning Essay1690 Words   |  7 PagesThe journey that human cloning has taken has been one of dramatic highs and lows, heated arguments and confusion about the path ahead. When researchers witnessed the birth of the first cloned mammal, they were ecstatic, but this high ended with the tragic early death of this shee p, Dolly, due to abnormalities (Jaenisch 2004: 2787). The initial success and progress in this field fueled scientists to want to do further research into this technology, which would eventually leading to work with humanRead MoreEssay on Cloning: How Far Should We Go?627 Words   |  3 Pagesmany: should human cloning be a part of our society? Recently the ability to clone a human being has become a very realistic possibility. However, the issue of morality has taken center stage on this topic. A Gallup poll taken in 1997 revealed eighty-eight percent of Americans stated, cloning human beings would be morally wrong (Dudley 10). Some people, such as scientists in this field and certain infertile couples, are arguing against banning cloning. However, human cloning should be bannedRead More Cloning: What is the right thing to do? Essay1362 Words   |  6 Pages Multiple Source Essay Cloning: What is the Right thing to do? Cloning offers many applications, especially in medicine, however, in spite of the many advantages, many people still consider the idea of human cloning, and the practice of cloning all together to be immoral. This opinion is rarely based on a careful analysis of facts, often only a spontaneous reaction. Cloning technology has potential for doing much good, research in human cloning should continue, although some applications of itRead MoreEssay on An Argument Against Cloning1198 Words   |  5 PagesAn Argument Against Cloning Increase in genetic knowledge has created challenges in our society. Daniel Callahan focuses on these challenges and expresses his worry about the society (soil) on which this genetic knowledge is growing. Callahan asks the question of what kind of society (soil) is most likely be hazardous and introduces three patterns: 1) societies that demonize death and illness; 2) those societies that want to find biological solutions to social problems; and 3) societies with postmodernRead More The Benefits of Cloning Research Essay1449 Words   |  6 PagesThe Benefits of Cloning Research   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"To be or not to be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the last fifty years new forms of technology have been the center of attention for every human being. It seems that every day scientists come up with some new, perhaps even controversial, and exciting ways to improve the quality of life. These new technologies affect every aspect of life, as we know it. One such technology is the research being done in the area of cloning. Cloning is the production of one or more cells, individualRead MorePros and Cons of Cloning Humans906 Words   |  4 Pagesthe world on 23 February 1997.Soon after the announcement, the media attention was diverted by the possibility of cloning a human. Although the scientists from the Roslin Institute who had made the significant breakthrough with Dolly denied the possibility of creating human clones, the idea was still wide debated about the risks and benefits of human cloning. So, what is cloning? Cloning is a process of generating a new organism by an identical genetic copy of the original donor. The DNA of the twoRead MoreEssay The Debate Concerning Stem Cell Research1409 Words   |  6 Pagesto better the lives of those living, but at what cost? In their articles â€Å"Cloning Human Beings: An Assessment of Pro and Con,† by author Dan W. Brock; â€Å"The Ethical Implications of Guman Cloning,† by Michael J. Sandel; â€Å"Theriputic Human Cloning Is Ethical,† by Ian Wilmut and Roger Highfield; and various other articles, each author discusses his or her view on the morality of stem cell research and its use for human cloning. Kantian deontology is defined as treating the individual as more than a meansRead More Reproductive and Therapeutic Cloning Essay example1484 Words   |  6 PagesReproductive and Therapeutic Cloning Cloning is defined as the â€Å"creation of an exact copy of a living matter, such as a cell or organism† according to Encarta encyclopedia. The copies produced through cloning have identical genetic makeup and are known as clones. Scientists use cloning techniques in the laboratory to create copies of cells or organisms with valuable traits. Cloning is a controversial topic because new areas of science often raise questions about safety. Early experimentRead MoreCloning And Its Implications On Human Cloning1497 Words   |  6 PagesCloning and Its Sociobiological Implications Picture this: walking down a street and seeing someone who looks exactly like you. They do the same things as you, act the same way you do, and are exactly alike in several ways. But have people ever considered the consequences of human cloning if it becomes permitted? Human cloning might seem like something out of a science-fiction novel, but it may someday be possible with advances in science and technology. This will result in the creation of severalRead MoreEssay on Benefits of Human Cloning614 Words   |  3 PagesBenefits of Human Cloning Some of the Benefits of cloning are very appealing. Listed below are some of the benefits which could be possible with the use of cloning technology: †¢ Rejuvenation. Dr. Richard Seed, one of the leading proponents of human cloning technology, suggests that it may someday be possible to reverse the aging process because of what we learn from cloning. †¢ Human cloning technology could be used to reverse heart attacks. Scientists believe that they may be able to treat