Stem Cell Research

Paper Summary:

This paper is a critical survey of the ethical arguments both for and against stem cell technology. It examines the validity of both arguments, based on Ronald Dworkin's (2002) ethical writings on "The Sanctity of Life" and John Rawls' (2002) "Theory of Justice."
In the conclusion, this paper argues that because of the potential for stem cell research to benefit millions of people, the ban on creating stem cells for research should be lifted. Furthermore, this paper argues that the government should extend federal funding for this potentially life-saving research. After all, the heart of the debate over stem cells is not whether this technology will save lives, but whether biomedical research in general should be limited by the unfounded ethical concerns or religious beliefs of some of the country's citizens.

From the Paper:

"The main argument against using embryonic stem cells, however, remains a moral one. Opponents decry how harvesting the embryonic stem cell invariably destroys the embryo, which they contend, should enjoy the same protections as human beings. After all, as Sullivan(2001) argues, an embryo is a human being in its purest form . Whether an embryo looks "human" or not is beside the point, state many critics of embryonic stem cell research. While people may not oppose the use of early embryos because they do not appear to be human, the simple fact is that all humans look that way at five or 15 days of development. A human embryo is a human being nonetheless (Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity 2001)."

More papers on Stem Cell Research:

• Term Paper # 107047 : "Embryonic Stem Cell Research"
• Argumentative Essay # 148240 : "Stem Cell Research: Ethics and Benefits"
• Persuasive Essay # 85139 : "Stem Cell Research"
• Essay # 71384 : "Alternatives to Embryonic Stem Cell Research "

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