The Island: A Complex Scientific Study

Complex scientific studies have led to the modern manipulation of genetics which allows life to be created through various processes such as IVF, stem cell regeneration and cloning. Cloning has successfully produced biological entities of fully grown organisms (Freudenrich, 2001). In 1996, the first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, sparked excitement in the scientific world and the general public (National Museum Scotland, 2016). After this scientific success, public speculation about the future of such technologies was conveyed through fictional movies and novels. American film director, Michael Bay, directed the film “The Island” which questioned the ethics of creating human life for the purpose of later destroying it. Ethical values such
The conception of justice was described coherently by Rawls and consisted of two main principles of liberty and equality (Kay, 1997). The principle of equality is applied diligently by professionals, mostly in the medical field in ensuring the “least disadvantaged” people are benefited and not hurt or forgotten (Alzheimer Europe, 2010). Ostensibly, justice seems like a very simple principle, however, it may be breached by a veil of ignorance as complex scientific studies are emerging and used to create human life for the purposes of destroying it. One extreme fictional example of how justice is breached was conveyed in “The Island” in which a rich woman, who was unable to conceive, had a clone created to carry the baby for her (The Island, 2005). However, after the baby was delivered, the clone surrogate was instantly killed. Although the film is fictional, this scenario indicates how future advances may lead health professionals into breaching ethical principles to favour the
This ethical value addresses the need for physicians to respect an individual’s right to be treated as having the capacity to think, decide and act on the right basis after being provided with all detailed information necessary to making logical decisions (Varelius, 2006). The view of the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, on this principle was “autonomous people are considered as being ends in themselves in that they have the capacity to determine their own destiny and as must be respected”. This view shows that philosophers are supporting this ethical viewpoint and the right for patients to make their own decisions. However, when human life is created through scientific processes such as IVF, stem cell regeneration and cloning then genetics of the human may be manipulated causing the human life to be destroyed. Such extreme scenarios breach the ethical principle of autonomy as the created human life does not have the right to self-determine and make decisions for themselves. In addition, the physicians also do not respect Kant’s viewpoint of people determining their own destiny because they have not provided sufficient information for the patients to make their own decisions. Therefore, creating human life for the purpose of destroying it must breach autonomy on principle as a fundamental ethical