Human Cloning and Moral Issues

Paper Summary:

The paper explores the ethical issues in human cloning as well as the implications of human cloning in light of these issues. The paper shows how there are many considerations regarding human cloning that involve religious, social, emotional, mental and physical issues. The paper highlights the possibility that this technology will be abused and concludes that further research should focus upon this possibility.

Outline:
Introduction
Overview
Research Questions
Literature Review
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Human cloning is a controversial subject in today's world and for good reason. In a UNESCO report published in 2005 it is related that cloning" may seem to be a relatively recent laboratory phenomenon, but the word itself derives from antiquity: the Greek word klwn for 'twig'." In fact, the use of the term in the beginning was applicable to "...early 20th century botany, designating plan grants. 'Clone' eventually came to be used for micro-organisms as well. Then by the 1970s the word came to designate a viable human or animal generated from a single parent. Over the last few years, cloning has come to mean any artificial, identical genetic copy of an existing life form." In the case where the cloning is by nuclear transfer "...the egg nucleus is removed through a microscopic laboratory procedure and replaced with a donor's nucleus, containing the unique genes of that individual." (UNESCO, 2005) Because the egg "contains only the donor's genes..." the result is that the cloned organism "is a near genetic copy of its sole parent" as compared to the embryo which is a random genetic combination of two parents."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Morioka, Masahiro (1999) The Ethics of Human Cloning and the Sprout of Human Life - in Heiner, Roetz (ed), Cross-Cultural Issues in Bioethics: The Example of Human Cloning. Rodopi, Amsterdam, The Netherland, (2006), pp.1-16.
• Weiler, Yael (1998) Israel Faces the Issue of Human Cloning: A Discussion of the Ethical and Social Implications Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics 8 (1998), 10-12.
• Dixon, Patrick (1998) Reasons against Cloning. Future. Online available at: http://www.globalchange.com/noclones.htm
• Human Cloning: Ethical Issues (2005) UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO)
• Johnson, Judith (2002) Human Cloning CRS Report for Congress 25 Feb 2002. Congressional Research Service . The Library of Congress

More papers on Human Cloning and Moral Issues:

• Analytical Essay # 2236 : "Analysis of the Permissibility of Human Cloning"
• Term Paper # 3559 : "Moral and Ethical Dilemmas of Human Cloning"
• Research Paper # 112813 : "Cloning and Ethics"

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