To clone or not clone
Cloning humans has recently become a possibility that seems much more feasible in today's society than it was twenty years ago. It is a method that involves the production of a group of identical cells or organisms that all derive from a single individual (Grolier 220). It is not known when or how cloning humans really became a possibility, but it is known that there are two possible ways that we can clone humans. The first way involves splitting an embryo into several halves and creating many new individuals from that embryo. The second method of cloning a human involves taking cells from an already existing human being and cloning them, in turn creating other individuals that are identical to that particular person. With these two methods almost at our fingertips, we must ask ourselves two very important questions: Can we do this, and should we? There is no doubt that many problems involving the technological and ethical sides of this issue will arise and will be virtually impossible to avoid, but the overall idea of cloning humans is one that we should accept as a possible reality for the future.Cloning presents as much a moral problem as a technical problem. Cloning is an affront to religious sen
Damage to the nervous system could treated through cloning. However, stem cells might be able to repair the damaged tissue. Cloning appears to be a powerful force that can be exploited to produce horrendous results. In in-vitro fertilization, a doctor often implants many fertilized ova into a woman's uterus and counts on one resulting in pregnancy. There is a risk of disease transfer between transgenic animals and the animal from which the transgenes were derived. Cloning might have a detrimental effect on familial relationships. Cloning will help to produce discoveries that will effect the study of genetics, cell development, human growth, and obstetrics. For example, if a large percentage of an nation's cattle are identical clones, a virus, such as a particular strain of mad cow disease, could effect the entire population. Ian Wilmut and his associates required 277 tries before producing Dolly. Some believe that if a parent wanted to produce talents in a child similar to his own, cloning using DNA from the cell of the adult may produce a child with the same traits. If information derived from cloning research allows scientists to stop the division of the human ovum, a technique for terminating cancer may be found. Others are worried about the abuses of cloning. If the clone was free from defects, then other would be as well. Supporters of cloning feel that with the careful continuation of research, the technological benefits of cloning clearly outweigh the possible social consequences. The ability to clone humans may lead to the genetic tailoring of offspring.
Common topics in this essay:
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,
Ian Wilmut,
Barbara Ehrenreich,
Ross Perot,
human cloning,
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cloning research,
human embryo,
pregnancy cloning,
creating individuals,
fertilized ova,
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