...Wanda Brewington Professor Maria Zaccaria Introduction to Ethics April 27, 2015 Outline THESIS: Is the use of stem cells favorable for healing and or curing human diseases more favorable for healing and or curing diseases more significant than the ethical concerns and arguments? I. What are stem cells? A) An unspecialized cell that can generate to one or more different types of specialized cells regenerated as blood or nerve cells. B) Stem cells are present in embryos and in tissues of adult organisms. II. How are stem cells used? A) Scientific Research B) Potential disease and treatment and or cures C) In vitro fertilization D) Cloning and Genetic Engineering III. Ethical concerns regarding stems cells. A) Scientific research perspective B) Political/Moral Ethics perspective C) Religious/Utilitarianism perspective IV. Conclusion | Stem Cells Risk or Benefit Since the introduction of DNA, scientists have researched many ways to treat and extinguish disease. One interesting way is through the use of stem cells. To get better understanding of stem cells, they are defined as non-specific biological cells capable of differentiating into specialized cells. Stems cells have a unique quality of developing and duplicating cells through the process of cell division. The distinctiveness of stem cells is that they are unspecialized, meaning...
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...Business Research Ethics RES/351 August 12, 2013 Stem Cell and Human Cloning Research and Ethics Questions about ethics in research have increased and unethical issues rise from different fields such as Medicine and Science. When the discussion about stem cell and human cloning researches rise for the meaning, “what is life?” the question is simple, but the answer is still unclear. This paper is an overview of the articles about stem cell and human cloning researches that discuss business research ethics and involves ethical and unethical issues. A stem cell is a type of cell found into the body of all human beings, has the capability to reproduce them, and to produce other types of cells such as brain cells, muscle cells, and others. In the New York Times’ article is very clear that the ongoing battle to make this research valid is relentless. This research can be the potential that holds for the future generation and scientists affirms; “stem cells may be used to replace or repair damaged cells, and have the potential to drastically change the treatment of conditions like cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and even paralysis.” (Harris, 2012) However, opponents of embryonic stem cell want the research to be restricted or prohibited entire as inhumane because most researches are done by creating embryonic stem cell from fertilized cells. When the approach is human cloning there is no difference, opponents to the research claim that it is immoral and unethical...
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...not agree with you. By: Martin Pierce Student Number: 1057404 In cloning for medical-research purposes the development of the embryo is halted as soon as a cluster of stem cells develops. The stem cells are then harvested for research purposes. Due to the fact that no infant is born (in fact the embryo never even gets past the blastocyst stage), it is argued that this type of cloning has nothing to do with human cloning. (Hatch Backs Limited Cloning, 2002). For this reason this paper shall take the statement “to clone a human being” as meaning cloning that results in a fully formed human and not on the cloning of embryos for the purposes of research. The issues around cloning are in the main more ethical than theological and yet most of the objections to cloning come from religious sources, even if those objections are not religious in nature. The first objection is that cloning leaves God out of the process of human creation. This only makes sense though if your definition of God is of a being that plays a role in the birth of each member of our species. Even holding to this view it does not necessarily follow that cloning is comparable to playing God (Brannigan, 2001). How can science prevent a supposedly omnipotent and omnipresent being from doing anything, and if it is possible this raises serious questions about God’s divinity...
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...Additionally, cloning can be seen by opponents as useless. Shanks, in the article “Pet Cloning” says, “Cloning does nothing to improve their environment; it adds no genetic diversity; it requires many surrogates and egg donors, who may be harmed; and it may distract from lower tech but more practical conservation measures”. Opponents will claim that because cloning does not add genetic diversity, it is useless. They claim that it does not improve the environment. In spite of the previous claim, cloning does improve the environment. According to “Cloning”, cloning could be used as a substitute for selective breeding. Selective breeding, which is breeding animals with desirable characteristics to produce offspring with those characteristics,...
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...ETH/316 ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Morality and Ethics in the 21st Century and Beyond Morality and Ethics study of Human Cloning and The Holocaust | Marcus D. Taylor 12/5/2011 Both morality and ethics will become a downgraded value as time goes on. And this is an ongoing version of the ideologies of events that happened the past. As time approaches a new dawn the world will be forced to adapt to change. There will be questions on what changes will affect the morals and ethics accepted from its society. Morality will change as it has in the past due to the evolving technology. Take for example the new technological developments of Cloning. Cloning is one of the most extensively discussed topics in the modern world. It is a subject that universally evokes immense reactions from society. Cloning is the technique of producing a genetically identical duplicate of an organism by replacing the nucleus of an unfertilized ovum with the nucleus of a body cell from the organism (Yourdictionary.com). In 1903, plants were the first living organisms to be cloned, pioneering the concept. Progressive developments in research now usher in greater advancements in this technology, including the successful cloning of the sheep now known as “Dolly” in 1997 by Scottish scientist, Dr. Ian Wilmut. Logically, the next step is to clone human beings. Is human cloning essential for improvements in enhancing the quality of life? Since cloning still raises...
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...Manipulating Life: The Ethics and Science of Biotechnology The question of whether humans should have the right to clone themselves leads to interesting questions on the nature of human individuality. There is also the ethical question of whether human reproductive cloning in order to replicate ones genetic identity should be allowed at all. If reproductive cloning to create an entire human being were possible, and accessibility and cost were not a factor, should humans have the unrestricted right to clone themselves? The right or even need for humans to clone themselves is as complex a moral or ethical issue as it is a complex bimolecular and genetic procedure. There may be no definitive answer to the ethical or moral dilemmas but in my opinion there is not a reason compelling enough to justify human reproductive cloning of an entire human being, even if it were technically possible at this time. There appear to be too many issues and unknowns in both the science and ethics of human reproductive cloning to allow it even if it were possible. The fear as portrayed in science fiction about armies of replicated humans threatening society and all of our identities being at risk are certainly unfounded as the science proves out (Sommers Smith, 5C - 23). Unlike the renowned geneticist James Watson I am not so certain that having the ability to clone a human would make it a benefit to our society, or should make it a requirement to do so (Grace, pp. 214-215). The unknowns about...
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...2010 Cloning Human, animal, and plant cloning is one of the most controversial subjects in modern science. There are many good arguments in favor of cloning, as well as many against it. In my opinion, plant and animal cloning could be very efficient to society by way of creating more food, but I also view it as unethical. In this essay I will discuss many pro’s and con’s of cloning. Cloning can help the human race in many ways, but is it necessary? One way it can help us is by the cloning of plants and animals. In doing this, we could create more food and genetically engineer the food to maximize its health. "Commercial livestock cloning could inundate the food supply with novel products that have not been safety tested."(Mendelson). Most scientists who oppose the idea claim that cloned animals usually have birth defects, and have not been properly tested for safe consumption. Although this could be true, with the rapidly advancing technology in today’s world it probably will not be long until cloning is perfected, and the animals pass all tests. However, is the cloning of animals really necessary for us to survive? Those who are on the more ethical side of the matter believe that God has and will continue to provide us with plenty of plants and animals to survive on. Thus, the argument can go back and forth depending on your beliefs and personal ethics. Ultimately the answer to the question is what you make it. Another way cloning can benefit us is by the cloning of human...
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...Animal Cloning and Experimentation | March 22 2011 | Is Cloning Animals Ethical? | Carli Mapes PHI 110 | A question that has plagued scientific and philosophical minds for many years is whether the experimentation and cloning of animals is ethical. This same question has caused more questions to arise again and again; such as, should we exploit animals for our own benefit? Do our rights override that of animals, and if they do, should we be allowed to decide the fate of these animals? Furthermore, what are we to do with these animals when we have cloned them or when we have finished our experimentations on their cells? Are these clones really animals, or are they just scientific facsimiles? Because there are no clear-cut answers to these questions, opposing opinions are argued, sides are taken, and even organizations are founded to address this issue. Many of the reasons for justifying the cloning of animals are wrong and benefit only the ones who have sought them in the first place; for example, some companies want to use the cloned animals for its own selfish, personal gain. W. R. Grace Company sought to have prized animals cloned and sold at high prices.1 Racehorses were an ideal animal to clone because of its superior breeding and intellect. The price of the racehorses’ sperm alone sells for a hefty sum so its clones would sell for even more. What these companies do not understand is that each clone is not exactly the same as the original animal. There is...
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...Running head: The Ethics of Cloning The Ethics of Cloning Team D: Casey Krueger, Erin Lee, Ferdinand Malarayap, Marvin Monge, and Ibrahim Mortada August 14, 2011 DeVry University Online Stem cell research and cloning have become a major topic of interest in countries all around the world ever since Dolly the sheep was successfully cloned in 1997. Every single country has their own views about stem cell research and cloning because of their moral and ethical issues. Muslims, for example, are individuals who are firm believers that knowledge is acquired in a form of worship, and any human achievement must be performed in conformity with God’s will. The introduction of new science in Islam is not perceived with open arms and new technology has to prove benefits before it is accepted because of the fear and respect the Muslim culture has for their God. Any new knowledge or discovery must be implemented within the confines of God’s laws and limits to maintain a healthy balance in the creation. Science and religion have to work together in the Muslim culture to determine if new knowledge or research such as stem cell and cloning are linked to the broad ethical base set forth in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Cloning began from the very earliest if civilization. Historians and scientist believe that early farmers took the strongest of their crop, self-pollinated them with same plant, extracted the seeds, and planted them to create a field of genetically identical plants. This...
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...Human cloning occurs naturally with phenomena like twins and triplets, but the same outcome of a genetically identical individual created in a lab is not as well received. Over the years, cloning has transformed from a thing of fantasy to one of reality. Current research is bringing us closer than ever to cloning humans, but what will happen if we succeed? The word clone is defined as being an exact genetic replica of a molecule, cell, plant, animal or human being. The term cloning refers to the technological process of creating a clone. The use of cloning technologies has been in place for the past 50 years, though it wasn’t until 1996 that the first mammal was cloned from a somatic cell. Dolly, the world’s first cloned lamb, brought cloning and its ethical implications into the spotlight after she was successfully cloned from an udder cell of a six-year-old sheep. Dolly was put to sleep in 2003 after suffering from lung disease, as well as premature arthritis. Having lived only six and a half years instead of the expected 11 – 12, Dolly’s passing also brought to light questions regarding the health and life expectancy of cloned animals. Though her life was short, she left a long lasting imprint in the field of modern biological research. The successful cloning of Dolly led to many other advances in the biological community, however, as of 2014 no human has ever been successfully cloned. Human cloning is a hotly debated topic in the science and religious communities...
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...REACTION PAPER Ethics and Fears and Wonders of Human Cloning By Dr. Alfredo P. Co What is a clone? According to the Encyclopædia Britannica (1979), “a clone is a population of organisms derived originally from a single individual. By definition clones occur only in organisms capable of asexual reproduction and consist of genetically identical individuals”. There has been a successful recorded experiment which regard to cloning, although it was just an animal (a sheep to be more specific), there has been speculations that Human Cloning is not very far away. Before judging this issue, we should refrain having ignorant thoughts and try to study and understand the issue and detach ourselves from our emotions, religious dogmas and cultural habits/ or entrenched habits. We should see all the possible outcome of this, both positive and negative. Cloning is an issue that cannot be overlooked because everyone will be affected by the decision that would be put upon the issue, lives will either be saved and/or lost. In February 1997, Dolly the sheep, was successfully cloned from an adult sheep. After this experiment, some people were enthusiastic with this successful discovery, because it may be the key to unlocking the ‘untreatable diseases’ that we are currently facing today. It may give life and/or prolong life, it may be the only solution and the only hope for families that are experiencing a very difficult time in watching their loved ones suffer, and it may be the only guarantee...
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...DNA Technology BIO/240 May 6, 2013 DNA Technology INTRO – LEE DNA Technology: Cloning, Gene Therapy, and Stem Cell Research DNA technology encompasses a wide variety of applications and because of the duplicating nature of DNA, it is easy to see how humans could benefit from its manipulation. One such technology is cloning. Cloning technology comes in three forms: recombinant DNA cloning, reproductive cloning, and therapeutic cloning. Cloning Recombinant DNA cloning consists of transferring DNA fragments from an organism to a self-replicating element, like a bacterial plasmid. The fragments join with the cloning vector and are reproduced with the host cell. This technology is most commonly known for its use in genetically modified foods. DNA fragments that code for better tasting, higher nutrient qualities are spliced into regular plants to produce super foods (US Dept of Energy Genome Program, 2009). Reproductive cloning takes all the genetic information out of a cell and replaces it with DNA from the desired organism. With luck, this cell will begin to divide until it becomes an embryo and can be implanted into a host mother (US Dept of Energy Genome Program, 2009). Gene Therapy and Stem Cell Research Therapeutic cloning is by far the most controversial. This type of cloning produces human embryos for use in research, and usually for the stem cells that can be harvested from these embryos. Stem cells can be used to clone organs and body parts from the...
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...advances in biomedicine. These same advances have also sparked considerable ethical debate. The main ethical challenges associated with stem cell research have to do with the source of those cells. Although some advances have been made in the use of adult stem cells, the consensus seems to be that the most promising categories of stem cells are embryonic stem (ES) cells (derived from the five- to seven-day-old embryos known as blastocysts) and embryonic germ (EG) cells, derived from immature aborted fetuses. In fact, there are four main sources of (non-adult) stem cells, and each presents its own challenging ethical issues. The first such source (of ES cells) is the surplus embryos that are a by-product of the activities of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) labs. One ethical concern here has to do with the status of the embryo itself. The degree of respect that ought to be granted to a human embryo is highly controversial. Some hold that the embryo - genetically human and a potential person - deserves our full respect and protection. Others hold that while the embryo may be genetically human, it has (particularly at early stages) none of the characteristics of persons. It is not conscious; it is not self-aware. It is a cluster of cells with no independent ethical status. Still others hold an in-between view, arguing that while the early embryo clearly is not a person (and so clearly does not warrant the ethical status of a human adult or child) it is a part of the human life-cycle, part...
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...Bioethics provides a corrective agenda for the whole range of moral demands and disputes surrounding the life sciences relating to human beings, wildlife, and the environment. Rapid improvements in the natural sciences and technology powers us with the ability to manipulate human life and have seriously aided better living conditions and amplified the standard of life for people universally. Conflictingly, there are detrimental consequences, such as nuclear waste, as well as certain advances such as gene technology and cloning, have caused suspicions and uncertainty regarding the future of human beings. As Christian stewards of the modern era, we need to assess situations about all bioethical concerns through proper representation of Christian...
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...emergent science”. The field of new and emergent science includes many other sub topics such as human cloning, animal cloning, nanomachines, human genome mapping, and DNA altering. I believe that a person could write many books while only scratching the surface of the philosophical debates that surround these intense issues. I believe that there are specific parts of these new sciences and technologies that a postcolonialist would have issues with – specifically people being able to choose and change the genes of their children. This kind of ability would more than likely be relegated to the rich and affluent, and would serve to further oppress the middle and lower classes who could not afford the procedure. While some of the new sciences do not have the most apparent ethical issues, others are glaringly obvious. In the field of human cloning for instance, there are the ethical questions of what rights would a clone have? Would it be considered “alright” to clone yourself just to harvest organs later on in life should some illness befall you? Or how about the ethics of changing the natural progression of your unborn child by altering their DNA in utero? In my opinion, the way to solve some of these issues would be to have a global summit in order to lay down laws and rules to govern the applications of these sciences. If the leaders of the world were to take the ethical route and say how things should work (like no harvesting clones, giving them the same benefits as a...
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