The Ethical Status of the Embryo - Report Example

Embryonic cells In the modern world, there is a moral predicament regarding embryonic stem cell research. Embryonic stem cellgives anticipation for latest therapies. However, their utilization in studies has received fierce arguments. Therefore, different states have decided to adjust embryonic stem cell research in extremely diverse manners. An embryonic cell can be defined as a small room of an embryo. A cell is defined as the fundamental formation and purposeful entity of all organisms. They might survive on their own or can depend on other tissues such as plants and animals. Hence, embryonic stem cells may be transformed to whichever cell in a person’s body. The ethical status of embryos The ethical position of an embryo is a contentious and complicated subject. It is considered to contain complete ethical status on or after fertilization until the end (Huarte and Antoine 32); however, it is considered either a person at its embryo position or a prospective person. However, the criterion for ‘personhood’ is not clear and has been defined differently by different scholars. On one hand, they argue that the maturity from a fertilized egg into a baby is a continual procedure and every effort to identify at what time personhood commences is changeable. According to these scholars, a human embryo is a person in the embryonic phase, as an infant is a person in the infant phase. Even if an embryo does not contain the features of a person at this point, it will develop to be a person at the end thus it ought to be granted the revere and dignity of a person (Masters, Bernhard, and James 3). On the other hand, other scholars argue that a premature embryo that has not yet been embedded into the uterus does not have the mental, sentimental, or corporal aspects that will correlate it with being a person. Therefore, it does not contain any benefit to be safeguarded, hence, may be used for assisting the sick people. Additionally, the embryo will not grow into a baby devoid of it being transported into a female uterus. This means that it requires exterior assistance to grow. Nevertheless, the possibility that embryos utilized in vitro fertilization will grow into complete victorious births is small. To these scholars, something that may perhaps develop into a probable person must not be taken care of as if it really was a person (Persson and Stellan 79). A stopping point at 14 days after fertilization Some scholars argue that a human embryo needs unique security on or after the 14th day of fertilization. This is because after the 14th day of fertilization, the embryo cannot separate to produce twins. However, prior to this point, the embryo could possibly be split to develop into two or more babies, or it could not succeed to develop at all. In addition, prior to the 14th day, the embryo is considered not to have a central nervous system and thus has no senses. For instance, if organs are taken from patients confirmed to have brain dead and are used for transplantation, similarly, several cell embryos can equally be used because they have no nervous system (Condic 27). Therefore, fertilization is considered a nonstop method, and not a ‘moment’. This is because an embryo in its initial phase is not obviously identified as a human being. The increasing status of an embryo as it grows An embryo is entitled to safety immediately the sperm fertilizes the egg; moreover, its moral status rises, as it turns to resemble a human being. On the contrary, there are opinions that are in support of this idea while others oppose. The supportive arguments assert that there are numerous phases of growth that might be granted increased moral position. The first phase is during the implantation of the embryo into the uterus wall of a woman approximately at the sixth day following the fertilization of an egg. The second phase is the emerging of the primal streak, this is considered the initial stages of the nervous system and takes place at approximately the 14th day after fertilization. The third phase is the survival period whereby a baby may possibly survive even if born precipitately. The last phase takes place when the baby is born, and it takes place at the 9th month after fertilization. This can be further supported through the view that people tend to have different sentiments whenever a life is lost because it purely depends on the phase in which the lost life had reached. For example, a fertilized egg prior to implantation in the female womb is given less amount of respect as compared to a human fetus or a born child. Additionally, over half of all the fertilized eggs are lost by intrinsic sources. Therefore, if this is the case, utilizing a number of embryos in stem cell study should be accepted (Persson and Stellan 83). Nevertheless, there are arguments that oppose the view that the status of an embryo increases as it grows. First, they assert that an individual’s life and wellbeing are not protected since they are significant from the viewpoint of the world, but because they are considered essential to the concerned person (Grier 124). Thus, the moral status of the human embryo and its life has no value to people but to itself. Second, judgment on the moral status of the embryo should not made with regard to its stage of life. This is because if such judgment is made, illogical verdicts are made regarding whom is a human being. For instance, although the creation of the nervous system indicates the starting point of personhood, people do not consider a patient who has lost nerve cells in a stroke less human. Hence, if there is no certainty regarding a fertilized egg, for instance, if it should be regarded as a person, then it should be destroyed. This can be equated to a hunter who does not kill because he is not certain of his target. The embryo has no moral status An embryo is an organic substance with similar as other parts of the body. However, a fertilized human egg is just part of a person’s body up to the time they develop sufficiently to exist alone. On the other hand, if embryonic stem cells are taken out of a premature embryo, the embryo is prevented from growing normally; this implies that it is barred from developing into a human being (Cabot 120). Embryonic stem cell study and religion Different religions judge the status of the early human embryo in distinctive manners (Condic 26). For instance, the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and conventional Protestant Churches think the embryos have the status of human beings from the time the egg was fertilized, therefore, no embryo investigation should be allowed. On the other hand, Judaism and Islam stress on the significance of assisting others. They argue that the embryo does not contain total human status prior to 40 days of fertilization. Therefore, both Judaism and Islam religions allow that some research should be carried on embryos. Conclusion The ethical status of the embryo is a contentious and difficult subject; this has led to various arguments between scholars who support the moral ethical status of the embryo and those who oppose. For instance, some scholars argue that that a human embryo needs unique security on or after the 14th day of fertilization while others oppose. Additionally, some people support the view that an embryo is entitled to safety immediately the sperm fertilizes the egg and that its ethical status should rise because it resembles a human being while others oppose. Consequently, some religions oppose the idea that investigations should be carried on embryos because they are similar to human beings while other religions agree with this idea. Through this analysis it is evident that embryonic stem cell is a complex topic that raises debate whenever it is mentioned. Works Cited Cabot, Tyler. "Whatever Happened To Stem Cells?." Esquire 159.4 (2013): 116-150. Condic, Maureen L. "What We Know About Embryonic Stem Cells." First Things: A Monthly Journal Of Religion & Public Life 169 (2007): 25-29. Grier, Erik V. Embryonic Stem Cell Research. New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2006. Print. Huarte, Joachim, and Antoine Suarez. Is This Cell a Human Being?: Exploring the Status of Embryos, Stem Cells and Human-Animal Hybrids. Berlin: Springer Berlin, 2011. Print. Masters, John R., Palsson, Bernhard, and Thomson, James A.. Embryonic Stem Cells. Dordrecht: Springer, 2007. Persson, Anders, and Stellan Welin. Contested Technologies: Xenotransplantation and Human Embryonic Stem Cells. Lund: Nordic Academic Press, 2008. Print. Read More