Cloning

The ethics of cloning has become a great issue in the past few years. The advocates for both sides of the issue have many reasons to clone or not to clone. I will begin by first defining exactly what cloning is. Then, I will give specific physical locations of my investigation and name the principal stockholding groups. Next, I will explore the pros and cons of human cloning and provide enough information of both sides of the arguments in order to make an informed decision on whether human cloning is ethical or not. Then a brief explanation of what questions are concerning to individualizes in cloning humans. Followed by that, a discussion of the facts and opinions that support cloning will be presented and then the same against cloning. Please remember that not all of this has proven true nor is able to be proven yet, but has simply been argued as a scientific hypothesis. Finally, my own personal opinion will be stated.

The first thing that must be cleared up is what is cloning, and what a clone is. Many different groups and organizations define it differently. To use a specific definition, the American Medical Association (AMA) defines cloning as "the production of genetically identical organisms via somatic cell nuclear transfer. 'Somatic cell nuclear transfer' refers to the process which the nucleus of a somatic cell of an existing organism is transferred into an oocyte from which the nucleus has been removed" (Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs). But human cloning may be divided into two categories: reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. In reproductive cloning, the cloned embryo is implanted in a woman's uterus, where it potentially results in pregnancy and the birth of a cloned human being. Therapeutic cloning, on the other hand, allows scientists to create an abundant source of stem-cells for research purposes.

The cloning we will concentrate on most is; the method of a produce baby that has the same genes as its parent. You take an egg and remove its nucleus, which contains the DNA/genes. Then you take the DNA from an adult cell and insert it into the egg, either by fusing the adult cell with the enucleated egg, or by a sophisticated nuclear transfer. (Please refer to the illustration on the next page for understanding) You then stimulate the reconstructed egg electrically or chemically and try to make it start to divide and become an ...