Preview

The Pros And Cons Of Biological Engineering

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
858 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Pros And Cons Of Biological Engineering
Biological Engineering From viruses that could exterminate mankind from the face of the Earth to genetic human clones, biological engineering has become one of the most intricate and modern fields within biology, particularly in the 21st century. Many argue that scientific advances such as cloning technology are beneficial for humanity’s well-being, while others are concerned over issues of immorality and the threat of destruction they pose. However, science has unquestionably brought us to an age of futurism, despite the fact that science will only continue to evolve, and scientific discoveries will only become more expansive in scale. Having noted this important reality, take a moment to consider how much further this incredibly controversial …show more content…
The creation of genetic clones has been proven to be possible. In 1996, a sheep named Dolly was born ( Dolly, First Cloned Sheep ) which happened to be one of the single biggest scientific breakthroughs in the past century. Dolly was the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell. Cloning has an incredibly negative effect upon species, because it reduces genetic diversity, which increases susceptibility to viruses. Sexual reproduction, which is natural, leads to the introduction of genes from both parents to their offspring. Immunity to disease can be genetically inherited. Without this important and natural process, any species that were subjected to cloning technology would be very vulnerable to particular diseases. If humans were to be cloned, the gene pool would be altered significantly, with negative impacts that could lead to extinction. In addition, there is a significant amount of religious opposition to the cloning processes. In Abrahamic religions, a newborn human receives the blessing of God. However, if a human were to be cloned, they would not receive this blessing due to being an artificial creation. Playing the role of God is something that was highlighted in the novel Frankenstein, where a scientist created artificial life. However, he could bear the stress of seeing his creature, who turned out to be hideous and of monstrous proportions. He subsequently abandoned his creation which led to bloodshed. Although this novel is only science-fiction, humanity must take into consideration that artificial life could be used for evil, as well as treated inhumanely, thus, another reason that artificial life should not be invested

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Most people would concede that cloning and genetic enhancements are two notorious words that most would not consent with. In Mr. Kass’s article “Preventing Brave New World” commences on the astonishing achievements in bio-medical science and technology. Mr. Leon E. Kass agrees that people should be obliged for the breakthrough of advanced bio medical science and technology. Mr. Kass’s incredible work in bio-ethical science has placed this very well known philosopher in the white house with the Bush’s administration. Mr. Kass mentions in his article that we live in a world where transforming powers are already being applied in the 20th century, For example; In vitro fertilization, bottled embryos wombs, surrogate wombs, cloning, genetic screening,…

    • 1985 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    As revealed earlier, cloning humans has a high failure rate, because there are many barriers put in by nature to prevent an “unnatural” event from occurring. These barriers can happen anytime during the cloning process. For example, the enucleated egg might not be compatible with the donor nucleus, the newly transferred nucleus may not grow and develop properly, the step where the embryo is implanted into the surrogate could fail, or the pregnancy may fail. Even if the pregnancy succeeds, there is no guarantee that the clone will act like a clone unless the right genes are activated. In a transferred human cloning, the scientist has to re-program the nucleus and force it to pretend as if it belongs in an early embryonic stage. If the nucleus is not programmed properly or completely, the embryo will more than likely become abnormal or die. Now, if the embryo manages to pass all of the post-zygotic barriers, “there is a possibility that the [fully developed] cloned individual might carry certain abnormalities…” causing them to live a shorter life span than expected (Wickman). There are also other concerns, besides health-related, such moral issues. The ability to clone individuals could lead to an out-of-control situation created by someone who wants to create an army of genetic replicas by abusing the new…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Let's just say if a clone survives birth and it’s childhood and had Large Offspring Syndrome, If all of the conditions like cardiomyopathy diabetes, high rates of heart and lung damage, kidney failure brain abnormalities etc. The animal in labor and the clone is give birth in a filthy Barn house. In that scenario the clone animal that is giving birth, percentage of life is one in million. Another reason that cloning should not be in society is the lack of diversity. “Cloning involves a process of creating identical genes. As such, there would be a lack of diversity in animalkind. Scientists believe this lack of diversity will lower the different animal race’s ability to adapt. Plus, there would be a lack of diversity in the world leading to everyone looking the same.…

    • 327 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    While a large portion of society do not believe that we should clone any species there is the portion that whole heartedly support the quest to prefect not only the cloning of animals but the cloning of humans. By cloning we can create new ways to fight diseases and other health problems by doing things like cloning a liver for a person whose is shutting down. Cloning can also help bring a species back from the brink of extinction due…

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Over the years, science and technology have expanded to make it possible to create identical creatures. While new cloning technology is a great advancement, it raises a plethora of moral and ethical questions. Cloning may bring about new ways to find cures for babies, according to Philip M. Boffey, but cloning also “could usher in a new eugenics”. The problems produced from the prospect of cloning greatly outweigh the benefits.…

    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    (Aurelia et al. 3). In other words, cloning is a method of producing a child who has exactly the same genes or parent. (Aurelia et al. 3). The most common cloning technique is called Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) which involves putting the nucleus of a body cell into an egg from which the nucleus has been removed. This produces a clonal embryo, which is triggered to begin developing with chemicals or electricity. Placing this cloned embryo into the uterus of a female animal and bringing it to term creates a clone, with genes identical to those of the animal from which the original body cell was taken ("About Reproductive Cloning"). In Frankenstein, electricity is the tool which creates life and eventually creates “the monster”. Earlier medical experiments, including Galvanism, lead Victor Frankenstein to fantasize about the possibilities of creating life using the power of electricity and the body of a once living man. Mary Shelley seemed to be predicting into the future where, a modern day Victor Frankenstein would succeed in reanimating the lifeless or more inimical to our society: synthetically creating life. In fact, scientists have already cloned an animal. The first cloned mammal, named Dolly the sheep, died at the age of 6 years. The death of the first cloned mammal was followed by a lively debate related issues / ethical aspects of cloning, some of which continue the debate today. Only 1% of animal cloning made so far have had a positive result, but most of them have suffered serious disorders. The conclusion of experts is that the current level of technology, human cloning is very dangerous (Aurelia et al. 1) Many scientists even believe that reproductive cloning can never be made…

    • 1748 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Animal cloning, wow, 30 years ago this could only be thought of in Star Trek but now it’s a reality; and with this reality comes a whole myriad of ethical issues, but to fully understand animal cloning we have to know what it is so, what is animal cloning? Do we just zap a sheep and out pops another? No, it’s actually quite an intricate process but basically it involves this, you take the cell from a male sheep, combine it, using electric currents, with the egg of another sheep and then insert the blastocyst created into a surrogate sheep creating an exact replica of the donor male. But should we? I mean who are we to play god?…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fukuyama

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages

    First of all, Fukuyama says that science is still not ready for the cloning process. One of the factors which is attributing to this is the fact that human DNA is too complex. Furthermore, scientists had over 200 failed attempts at cloning Dolly the sheep because they were finally successful. This indicates there will be a lot of complications in human cloning if and when it is ever attempted. Fukuyama says “the dangers greatly magnified in the case of genetic engineering, given the multiple causal pathways between genes and their ultimate expression in the phenotype (Fukuyama 677). The potential pain and suffering that a cloned human might go through is enough of a reason to not attempt cloning.…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Synthesis Essay on Cloning

    • 3550 Words
    • 15 Pages

    Introduction: Cloning hit the mainstream as a scientific debate when scientists cloned a lamb named Dolly in 1996. Cloning is a process that results in an identical genetic copy of a biological product such as cells, tissues, genes or entire entities. After scientists took cloning beyond the genetic engineering of simple DNA to actual mammals, the controversy grew to new heights. Cloning happens naturally. Plants and bacteria often use asexual reproduction, which tends to produce an exact genetic copy. Twins are another example of natural cloning. Scientists use artificial cloning for use with genes, reproduction and therapy. "Gene cloning produces copies of genes or segments of DNA," according to the National Human Genome Research Institute. "Reproductive cloning produces copies of whole animals. Therapeutic cloning produces embryonic stem cells for experiments aimed at creating tissues to replace injured or diseased tissues." Many argue that cloning can be beneficial in fields such as medicine, agriculture, and science. Others claims that cloning has a direct impact that challenges or runs counter to the moral or religious values of millions of people.…

    • 3550 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Ethical Dilemma: Stem Cell Research “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. ”- Potter Stewart One of the most controversial topics in today’s world is stem cell research.…

    • 1315 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Currently, contemporary scientists have developed cloning by taking the genetic blueprint for a living being (their DNA) and creating another person using the exact same blueprint for reproductive and therapeutic reasons. (Esposito) Just as Dr. Frankenstein created his monster out of selfishness, some people desire to generate clones for their own self-interest. Consequently, reproductive cloning could allow infertile couples a chance to have children in their own image, and provide grieving parents a chance to DNA duplicate their child. While that sounds compassionate, producing a clone would also allow parents to use the child to live the life they always wanted, use the “copy” to examine their own psyche, or even to aid in the quest for immortality. (Smith Benefits) In therapeutic cloning, clones would be exploited for harvesting organs, healthy cells, and even sources for plastic surgery. (Smith Benefits) Compelling Truth contends that ” there are many other reasons for cloning, but they all suffer from abundant self-absorption.” (CompellingTruth Christian Cloning) It is difficult to express how vast of an ego cloning could satisfy. An important question is whether the use of technology should be manipulated for narcissistic ends. The underlying feeling in Frankenstein is that Victor wanted to prove he could use his scientific knowledge beyond the limits.…

    • 1192 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “ It lays the technical groundwork for cloning-to-produce-children, which raises a host of ethical concerns. It could lead to fetal farming--growing cloned embryos to a later stage so that their valuable organs can be harvested for research or transplantation.” (Stark) This quote shows that clones can be created for their organs which could also help people. “Boisselier said the public needs to know "there is a huge demand" for cloning technology from couples unable to have children.” (Spar) This quote shows that people can use clones as their children if they are unable to have children. As you can see, The evidence shows that cloning would be a big help for…

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Therapeutic Cloning

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The third argument against therapeutic cloning is that it is not safe. There is a possibility of transferring diseases and other malformations to human. Dolly the sheep was the first animal that was ever clone, Dolly die at a young age. Scientist discovered that the problem of the premature death of Dolly was due…

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Thesis Statement: Although human cloning is a scientific discovery of great significance which is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human it has some medical advantages; however, it raises high debates because of its religious, ethical, and scientific disadvantages.…

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Should Cloning Be Banned

    • 604 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The subject of human cloning is a very controversial topic. The cloning of Dolly the sheep in 1997 by scientist Ian Wilmut generated a very unexpected reaction around the world. However these reactions were not all positive. Cloning refers to the development of offspring that are identical to their parents genetically. While it is referred to as an unnatural process, it can occur quite often in nature. Identical twins, for example, are clones. However, human cloning is very new and very complex. In this essay I will examine both sides of the argument into the banning of cloning starting with reasons why cloning should not be banned.…

    • 604 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays