A Threat to Human Dignity - Essay Example

A Threat to Human Dignity, or a Treatment from Diseases? Outline THESIS: Many people view the idea of human cloning as immoral and unethical. They justify such a position by the belief that cloning may lead to a situation when the concept of human individuality and uniqueness disappears. The fact, however, is that cloning cannot create a being absolutely identical to the cloned one. Furthermore, cloning techniques can provide the world with a number of benefits that will improve many aspects of human life, and healthcare in particular. I. Introduction A. The first successful attempt to clone a live creature took place in 1997. B. The scientific success was followed by often mistaken conclusions about how it can change the future. C. Cloning is not unethical or immoral. II. Cell mass division for multiplying human embryos. Cloning using the cell mass division does not produce copies of an individual. III. Cloning techniques: Somatic cell transferring (Nuclear substitution). The use of this technique in attempt to clone humans is nearly scientifically impossible. IV. Reasons for cloning. Among the reasons for using cloning techniques is the fact that they help infertile couples to have children. V. Reasons for cloning. Scientists can clone healthy genes to replace defective ones. VI. There is an opinion that cloning violates human dignity. From this point of view treating diseases should violate it as well. VII. Religions object cloning, but every religion has human good as its primary objective, so why should religion be against something good for people? VIII. Conclusion IX. Works cited Human Cloning: A Threat to Human Dignity, or a Treatment from Diseases? In 1997, a Scottish researcher, Ian Wilmut, had successfully cloned an adult sheep. This event raised many concerns, fears, and misunderstandings within the society. The scientists were celebrating the great achievement in the development of embryology. The rest of the world, however, was frustrated with the idea that human cloning, an always controversial and disputable issue, is coming into reality from the pages of fiction novels. People were scared by the fact that human cloning is possible. They got frightened by the idea that their future might be spent in the world full of an unlimited number of genetically created similarities (Specter and Kolata). The birth of the cloned sheep “Dolly” has led the world to a misconception about the concept of cloning in general. Many people have believed that, since a single cell can be copied to create an identical one, individuals will not be unique any more. The scientists have been assigned an ethical responsibility for the community they live in. The successful cloning experiment has been blamed for the appearance of public fear and anxiety regarding the potential outcomes of the scientific achievement. The problem is that many, unfortunately, have forgotten that the purpose of Wilmut’s work was not to clone a human. The scientists’ goal was working towards the development of cell cloning technologies for the benefit of healthcare (ibid). Therefore, viewed from this perspective, cloning cannot be considered immoral or unethical. What is generally called ‘human cloning’ cannot create even a set of cells absolutely identical to the copied one. Brain cannot be cloned (Johnson). Soul cannot be cloned. Consequently, a personality cannot be cloned. Let’s take a closer look at the concept of human cloning: some of the public and official responses, some of the most important applications of human cloning, the potential promises of cloning. For this purpose, the two major cloning techniques should be analyzed. It will help to understand what cloning involves, and clarify the meaning of the term itself. Secondly, in order to support the fact that cloning is not immoral or unethical, as many prefer to claim, various opinions about the issue, as well as the major moral and ethical problems it evokes will be presented and analyzed. Cloning techniques Cell mass division for multiplying human embryos Cell mass division is the only cloning technique that has been used on human beings. For the first time it was successfully used to multiply human embryos in October 1993. Robert Stillman and Jerry Hall at George Washington Medical Center They cloned human embryos by splitting early multiple-cell embryos into separate embryo cells (Stock 79). Each of such embryo cells may then grow up to become a distinct individual, completely different from the one developed from another similar embryo cell. The process of cell mass division is performed manually, but is completely identical to the process of natural splitting of embryos in the mother’s body to produce twins (Jordaan 297). Therefore, applied to human cloning, the technique of cell mass division does not produce exact copies of an individual. It only produces one more individual – a twin –with the same genotype. Twins, in their turn, will never be absolutely similar, as many real life examples show. Though they look similar, there are differences in both their physical appearance, and in mental development. So, this cloning technique cannot take the individuality of a person away. An individual still remains unique, though may have a similar to another’s genotype. Cloning techniques Somatic cell transferring (Nuclear substitution) The nuclear substitution technique (also called somatic cell transferring) is based on the idea that nuclei from cells derived from an adult could be reprogrammed, or that the full genetic complement of such a cell could be changed in order to improve specific qualities and characteristics of the cells to be multiplied. Here is the simplest way to explain it: take a cell to be grown up, and replace its nuclei with a nucleus of the specie you want to copy. As an option, certain genes of the donor’s nucleus can be replaced or removed (Jordaan 297). So, this method involves working not only with cells, like cell mass division, but with separate genes as well. This exact technique has been used to clone a higher animal – Dolly. The nuclear substitution technique can be used for producing genetically identical or genetically modified cells (Institut d'Estudis Catalans 22). It is important to recognize that this procedure has a great number of important applications in research. One of these applications is to clone genetically engineered animals to produce large quantities of powerful pharmacological agents (McKinnell). Another application consists in creating genetically improved cattle. An option is also producing genetically engineered human cells that would serve as therapeutic tissues in the treatment of human diseases. The use of this technique in an attempt to clone a human being is nearly scientifically impossible, especially considering the fact that no two beings develop totally identically (Johnson). Therefore, there is nothing morally unacceptable regarding it. Another application of the nuclear substitution cloning technique is using patient’s cells to create tissue to enable skin grafts for burn victims or using stem cells to treat leukaemia and other blood diseases. Nerve stem cells can be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Therefore, this technology could increase the efficiency of gene therapy treatment by allowing the creation of genetically engineered cells that could be delivered back to the patient without any rejection. Reasons to clone: cloning techniques can help infertile couples to have children As a result of Genetic Engineering research and development, couples that are infertile can have children. While contemporary medicine does offer various treatments nowadays, they are not always successful. Currently used methods cannot help in each separate case. As a result, some couples can never have children. Though they are ready, and do go through a lot of mental, physical and emotional stress in the attempts to have a child, there is no guarantee they will have it (Singer and Wells 73). All this stress can disappear if Genetic Engineering is made possible and allowed. The doctors can clone a sperm cell of the father or an egg cell of the mother, and inject the sperm cell into the egg cell to give life to a new human being. Reasons to clone: scientists can clone healthy genes to replace defective ones All the human beings become ill once in their life because we all have defective genes inside of us. Even the initially healthy genes can mutate with time, and cause diseases. What scientists can do is to clone the healthy genes, and replace the defective ones. Once this has been done, no one will ever suffer from any kind of health problems. Would you ever want to be ill again? Children and adults suffering from leukemia will not have to suffer any more as cloning can help the people in need. Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow, in the bone. This cancer is mostly found in children, and is caused by the lack of calcium. What the scientists have to do is to get a sample of a bone marrow, which does not have leukemia. The sample can be cloned, and a new bone marrow created. This marrow can then be replaced with the bone, which has leukemia in it, and the person suffering from the disease can live a normal life again. Would not you want a little boy or girl to lead a normal life? Scientists haven’t yet found the key of how cancer is caused, but when they do, they will be able to cure anyone in need of help from cancer. When the technology is allowed, they can learn how to switch cells on and off using the method of human cloning, thus meaning that cancer will be curable. Objections: Cloning violates human dignity There exists a well-known opinion that cloning violates human dignity, and makes people into products that can be replaced. But why then treating diseases does not violate any dignities? Or, maybe, being happy, having good health, or a newborn baby also violates someone’s dignity? Some also believe that cloning will change family relationships, human relationships, and the nature of society. But family is unlikely to love one child more than another, and the society is unlikely to appreciate and value a person more or less basing on his biological origin instead of personal qualities. As it was already stated, cloning does not copy or replace the existing people, it creates unique and distinct personalities, both physically and mentally different from any other ones. There also exists an idea, that cloning amounts to unethical experimentation on people. At the same time, if people, who believe so, searched for the initial beginnings and experiments resulted in the most significant medical discoveries, they would be astonished by the facts. Not all the medicines and techniques we use now were achieved in ethical and moral, or even humanistic ways. On the other hand, cloning does not directly hurt anyone. Many argue that cloning involves destroying embryos and is, hence, unethical. But isn’t it more unethical to watch people struggling and dying from deceases that may be cured as a result of scientific research involving cloning. Isn’t it unethical to argue against research, which some day will result in lifesaving therapies? – Each should decide for oneself. Religions object cloning Another thought is that clones will be inferior to 'real people'. Then why not to sterilize all the people whose children are likely to be different from what we call ‘normal’? Some also say that cloning is playing God and, therefore, is unacceptable. It is a subjective and unreasonable religious belief. A religion may prohibit eating meat, but it is still being sold in stores. This gives people an opportunity to be free in their actions and choices. A religion may require everyday meditation, but there are no people sitting on the floor and wandering in nirvana in any office. We always have a choice of what to believe, and what religious dogmas to follow. Besides, every religion has human good as its primary objective. So, from this point of view religion does not prohibit cloning because its purpose is also to treat and help people. Finally, isn’t even a reproduction process ‘playing God’ then? Conclusion The medical and research communities are not interested in cloning people, but are interested in producing cures for diseases and disabilities that affect our society by harmful emotional and economic outcomes every year. Today, the development of cloning techniques for human cells, genes, and tissues are critical to identifying cures, preventions and treatments for many illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s, and cardiovascular diseases. The potential for pharmaceutical production and the prospect for the regeneration and repair of human tissues are too great: it could mean saving the lives of countless people. The cloning of human embryos for the sake of producing cures and treatments should go forward, and so should the research that involves the cloning of animals and plants, for the sake of finding cures that could save human lives. Over all, human life, in any form, is the most important and valuable thing. Consequently, there is nothing immoral or unethical in the attempts to make our life better and healthier. This is especially true considering the fact that in any case cloning cannot create two absolutely identical cells: it only copies the genotype. Therefore, cloning should be viewed as a treatment of diseases we have no cure for. In addition, developed and improved, cloning techniques can bring positive results to the humanity by breeding animals and plants that would be more productive and easier to care about. Works Cited Institut d'Estudis Catalans. Responses to Human Cloning. Barcelona: Institut d'Estudis Catalans, 1999. Johnson, George. “Don't Worry. A Brain Still Can't Be Cloned.” The New York Times 2 Mar. 1997 . Jordaan, Donrich W. “Human reproductive cloning: A policy framework for South Africa.” South African Law Journal, vol. 119, no. 2, pp. 294-304. McKinnell, Robert. Cloning of frogs, mice, and other animals. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1995. Singer, Peter, and Deane Wells. Making babies: the new science and ethics of conception. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1985. Stock, Gregory. Engineering the human germline: an exploration of the science and ethics of altering the genes we pass to our children. Edited by Gregory Stock and John Campbell. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Specter, Michael, and Gina Kolata. “After Decades of Missteps, How Cloning Succeeded.” The New York Times 3 Mar. 1997 . Read More