| IntroductionThe
debate of human cloning is a slippery slope, as
it has become a social, religious, political as
well as ethical issue today. Though human cloning
has now become a source of earning business for
the biotechnological industry, on the other hand
there is much information on the positive use of
human cloning as it can be used in curing the damaged
cells of the body and therapeutic chronic internal
diseases that are related to stem cell. At the same
time human cloning has immense negative repercussions
in relation to the physical aspect, ethical aspect
as well as psychological aspect.
Understanding Human Cloning
Biologically Clone means a cell
of an organism, which is genetically identical
to another cell or organism from which it is derived.
If an embryonic tissue is transplant to another
embryo or with in the same embryo in some other
location, it will result into identical twin babies.
This is a result of advanced biotechnology and
termed as human cloning. ( Spemann, 1938) Therefore,
Cloning basically refers to the making of duplicate
biological material by the scientists. At the
same time, cloning is also used for scientific
experiments where isolated genes or cells are
duplicated but do not result into another animal.
However, when cloning is used to produce a genetic
twin by the help of one embryo, the cells used
in this process are known embryonic stem cells.
Furthermore, these cells are often used to cure
a variety of diseases. ( Hanna, 10-21-04 )
Aspects of Human Cloning
Human cloning is used in various aspects. Some aspects are discussed as following.
Reproduction
Reproduction via human cloning is basically a technological method whereby the nucleus of a somatic cell is transferred into an egg to produce another embryo. This method basically removes the nucleus of an egg and replaces it with a diploid nucleus of somatic cell. This gives an unnatural but biological birth to another organism. However, scientific research has proved that this is a very dangerous aspect of human cloning where human life is at stake. At the same time it also disturbs the genetic ordering that should be naturally transferred to the successive generations.
Donating Tissues
Though human cloning is done via somatic nuclear transfer but if a new individual is nor produced intentionally out of it and only tissues are created to match some existing individual then it is related to the donation of tissues. However, this aspect of human cloning is the only positive use of human clone so far as discovered. (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 1997)
Ethical Aspects
Presently the hot debate regarding
human cloning is related to morality and ethics.
It is believed that, human cloning can harm an
individual physically and psychologically as well
as results into adverse effects in family relations.
It also harms an individual by limiting its reproductive
capacity or restricts the development of tissues
and organs of such individuals produced by human
cloning. (Brock, 1998. P. 147-8.) All these are
related to the ethical aspects of human cloning.
Human Cloning should be or not?
The various aspects of human cloning in this era of globalization and modern technology has reached to a debate that whether human cloning should continue or not. However, every technological innovation brings along positive as well as negative aspects. At the same time, the religious school of thought in America, specifically the Christian religion does not support human cloning, as it believes to interfere in the natural process of creating an individual by God. On the other hand the ethical aspects generate new arguments. According to the ethical approach towards human cloning, it is morally wrong. Therefore, presently the Bush administration is also looking deep into the issue of human cloning. According to him, human cloning is morally wrong and should not be adopted as a technological tool for reproduction. (CNN.Com November 2001)
Conclusion
Amongst the various fields of scientific technology, biotechnology has advanced immensely and offers a wide range into the scientific research. Human cloning is one of the developments of biotechnology, which is basically an out come of stem cell research and related to the production of a new individual from the embryo of an existing one. Though this is not a safe mode to reproduce humans as it results into many negative aspects. These vary from the psychological aspect to the ethical and physical aspect. However, cloning is extensively used in curing chronic diseases by producing tissues and organs from an existing individual by somatic cell transformation from a nucleus. Therefore, human cloning is against morality and ethically wrong while cloning of specific tissues and organs in regard to therapeutic is morally right.
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