Cloning Should Not Be Legalized
Cloning Should Not be Legalized
Human cloning has been a very controversial issue for a number of years. In order to understand cloning better is important to recognize what cloning is. A clone is an exact genetic replica of a DNA molecule, cell, tissue, organ, or entire plant or animal. This may be done through reproductive cloning or therapeutic cloning known as stem cell cloning. (Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research) Human cloning raises the issues of whether or not a cloned person would in fact be considered a "human" or if they would have the same human rights. This question opens the door to a multitude of violations against humanity and the idea of genetic engineering. Religious groups are arguing that cloning is the next step to playing God, but the need for AIDS cure and other diseases remains urgent. The moral ground on which our society stands has already been affected by cloning and the confusion resulting from the existence of human clones would only add to our current moral dilemma. The ethics, legalities, morality and scientific plausibility are being carefully scrutinized by all segments of the society. At present time there are too many problems associated with cloning, and too many unanswered questions. It is necessary not to legalize cloning to protect the society from the harms it may bring. (BBC)
Cloning has been around for billions of years. Nature has been cloning strawberry plants by sending out a runner, a form of modified stem to grow a newly cloned plant. Potatoes, grass, onions and bacteria underwent similar process for generations as well. As technology evolved, other plants began to be artificially breaded and cloned. (Commonwealth of Australia)
The recent success in animal cloning has sparked fierce debates amongst religious groups about how human cloning is taking a major step towards playing God. However, several religious groups contradict this statement. Some Jewish and Muslim religious leaders testified before
Human cloning has been a very controversial issue for a number of years. In order to understand cloning better is important to recognize what cloning is. A clone is an exact genetic replica of a DNA molecule, cell, tissue, organ, or entire plant or animal. This may be done through reproductive cloning or therapeutic cloning known as stem cell cloning. (Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research) Human cloning raises the issues of whether or not a cloned person would in fact be considered a "human" or if they would have the same human rights. This question opens the door to a multitude of violations against humanity and the idea of genetic engineering. Religious groups are arguing that cloning is the next step to playing God, but the need for AIDS cure and other diseases remains urgent. The moral ground on which our society stands has already been affected by cloning and the confusion resulting from the existence of human clones would only add to our current moral dilemma. The ethics, legalities, morality and scientific plausibility are being carefully scrutinized by all segments of the society. At present time there are too many problems associated with cloning, and too many unanswered questions. It is necessary not to legalize cloning to protect the society from the harms it may bring. (BBC)
Cloning has been around for billions of years. Nature has been cloning strawberry plants by sending out a runner, a form of modified stem to grow a newly cloned plant. Potatoes, grass, onions and bacteria underwent similar process for generations as well. As technology evolved, other plants began to be artificially breaded and cloned. (Commonwealth of Australia)
The recent success in animal cloning has sparked fierce debates amongst religious groups about how human cloning is taking a major step towards playing God. However, several religious groups contradict this statement. Some Jewish and Muslim religious leaders testified before
Cited: Adherents. Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents. 2002. 6 December 2004 Bainbridge, William Sims. Religious Opposition to Cloning. 2003. 7 December 2004 Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research. Frequently Asked Questions About SCNT (Therapeutic Cloning). 2003. 13 November 2004 <http://www.camradvocacy.org/fastaction/faqs.asp> Commonwealth of Australia Dr. Dixon, Patrick. Reasons Against Cloning. 2002. 6 December 2004 <http://www.globalchange.com/noclones.htm> Eibert, Mark D Institute of Philosophy and Public Policy. Genetic Encores: The Ethics of Human Cloning. 1999. 5 December 2004 <http://www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP/Fall97Report/cloning.htm> Jones, Anita Robinson, B. A. Therapeutic Cloning. 2000. 6 December 2004 <http://www.religioustolerance.org/clo_ther.htm>