What is your opinion on the subject of cloning humans and other mammals?

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   bethperryposted 10 years ago

   What is your opinion on the subject of cloning humans and other mammals?
   
   Reproductive biologist, Shoukhrat Mitalipov, and a team of specialists recently announced they have been able to produce human cells via a new cloning technique. The end result, according to the team, offers break-through advances in stem cell research. In further news, two cloned race horses have recently been "bred" to produce a foal that carries the genetic qualities of the parents.
   When it comes to the cloning of humans and other intelligent mammals, do you have any particular ethical concerns about possible misuses of the practice?

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   Sharkye11posted 10 years ago

   If anything has even the slightest potential to be misused by the human race, it will be. Like most great scientific breakthroughs, people will automatically see this as a way to be superior in matters of warfare. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
   
   On a more lighthearted note, it is nice to daydream about having a clone of myself or my husband every now and then for those times when there is too much work for one or two people to do! In reality though, I prefer to stick to nature's plan.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Sharkye11, I remember in school learning how Albert Einstein grieved over his aid in realizing the potential of the atom bomb for warfare and his fears came to pass. It often seems that despite our potential we fall short on respect for all life.

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   Larry Wallposted 10 years ago

   I would be opposed to what cloning could lead to. Imagine, if this technology had existed during World War II and we were facing another Hitler today.
   
   Do we want to give evil people the opportunity to perpetuate their ill-advised ideas and beliefs.
   
   More important, however, is that we are all individuals. Maybe we could duplicate physical appearance and ability, but the makeup of a person is dependent upon his life experiences and those will be different for everyone including a clone. Therefore, do we need duplicates of ourselves to feed our ego, when there is no assurance that the duplicate will have your same value system, goals and ambitions. Today we are all unique. Even if you have a twin, there are differences between the two. Let's keep that uniqueness. If we lose that, the consequences could be very bad in the years to come.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Larry Wall, good points. And for all the potential medical advances scientists tout about cloning I wish they'd gear more research for cures by other means.It often seems they prefer to see how far they can go in manipulating life than to help it.

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   Jlbowdenposted 10 years ago

   Well, it certainly could lead to bigger and better things. But on the other hand, I'm thinking outside of the box.  And that if something went terribly wrong, then it could turn into a hellish nightmare.  Take it for what it's worth.

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   SidKempposted 10 years ago

   I agree with the cautions expressed here. I would also add that humanity already has tremendous knowledge and skill to solve existing problems, and continues to research new frontiers before ending hunger, providing clean water and sanitation for all, and guaranteeing everyone a good education and basic health care.
   
   There is a tremendous opportunity cost of focusing on new technologies. We create new problems that pile on top of old ones.
   
   Instead, let's solve our current problems first. World peace justice, life and health for all. Then we'll see if cloning might be of value.

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      SidKempposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Like Pamela99, I would separate stem cell research for health from cloning, and see it as a separate issue.

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   Pamela99posted 10 years ago

   I am against cloning of animals and people. I think stem cells for restoring someones health is great. People can see again and maybe paralysis will be eliminated, but that is as far as I want to see stem cell research reach out. Of course I am concerned about ethical issues. Look at what is happening in this country. Ethical concerns should be everyone's concerns.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Pamela99, some months ago it was reported that scientists were doing research into procuring stem cells from umbilical cords obtained after births. Suddenly the news dried up. I wish alternative research methods like this were seriously looked into.

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   stclairjackposted 10 years ago

   in the end, our ethical concerns WILL be trumpted by scientific curiosity,.... the scientific world WILL continue until they genuinely clone a human being,.. for the same reason that Bill Clinton got a BJ in the oval office,.... because they can.
   
   they will extole the virtues of the research leading to possible cures for a plethora of dissorders and disseases,... they will show pictures of soldires in wheel chairs and bald children with cancer,.... but they will do it for two very HONEST and BASE reasons,...... because theres money in it,...., and because they can.
   
   i'm not sure our worries, moral or ethical, really matter at all,.... like asking a mouse what he thinks of the home owners choice in pets,... the cat is coming regardless of the mouse's opinion of it.

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      i scribbleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with basically everything you've said here and probably couldn't have expressed it better. I may extrapolate on some tangential thoughts below.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      stclairjack, I fear you're right.

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   i scribbleposted 10 years ago

   I agree with stclairjack on all his points.  It's coming, for better or worse, whether we as individuals want it or not. Probably would do little good to outlaw it in the US, for example, because it would still be pursued in other places.  Hopefully the medical applications would outweigh the negatives, but who knows.  It's true, I think, that a human clone would not be the same person as the original because of different life experiences. Those who want to clone themselves with a goal of immortality might  have their brains transplanted into the clone body. This is the only way for continuity of one mind, one consciousness, as far as I can see.

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