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Ethical issues of embryonic stem cells essay
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The Mistreatment of Human Embryos for Embryonic Stem (ES) Cells Bonnie Steinbock, in her paper entitled, “What Does “Respect for Embryos” mean in the Context of Stem Cell Research?” argues that using human embryos for embryonic stem cell research is immoral and illicit. She forms her argument on the “consideration of the human subject from the moment of conception” (Bioethics 592). The author supports her argument with five reasons as to why using human embryos for ES research. She explains that the moment the gametes unite, an embryo with human rights is formed. Building off of her first statement, the author explains that it is immoral and illicit to intervene in the development of an individual with rights in a non-favorable way, because
For the past few years stem cell research has been a widely debated topic; however, former President Clinton?s stance?allowing federal money to be spent on tightly controlled stem cell research?lead to intense debates over federal funding for stem cell research. There are four ways of obtaining stem cells, which are taken from embryos that are approximately one week old. They are using unwanted embryos from fertility clinics, embryos from aborted fetuses, cloned embryos, and embryos created for research purposes. Stem cells can also be taken out of adult bone marrow, but scientists do not think that adult stem cells hold as much medical potential. Conservatives are against federal funding for stem cell research because they feel that by doing such the government would be contributing to ?murder.? This idea is rooted in the religious beliefs, which include the belief that life begins at conception, held by conservatives. However, liberals support federal funding for the research of embryos because they question whether embryos are full human beings and believe the research could expedite potential medical breakthroughs.
Embryonic stem cells research has challenged the moral ethics within human beings simply because the point at which one is considered a “human,” is still under debate and practically incapable to make a decision upon.
...ns of a morally questionable nature. It is necessary that our practices remain ethical and that we uphold the value of a human life, as this is the cornerstone of human society. Embryonic stem cell research is one such operation that forces scientists, policy makers, and the larger society to define what constitutes a human life and to find an answer to the crucial question: Is it morally acceptable to violate the rights of a human life for the for the sake of medical progress?
Abstract: Religion has played a key part in the battle for embryonic rights. Pope John Paul II has spoken out against stem cell research; however, Buddhist leaders and the Episcopal Church have taken a stand for stem cell research. Different religions have different opinions about stem cell research. However the controversy can never really be solved because it is so hard to define the line of morality when talking about stem cells and embryos.
While many support embryonic stem cell research, some people oppose it say that it is an unethical practice. According to these people, embryonic stem cells require murdering a baby, human life is defined by rational beings, those capable of rational thought or a consciousness. In order to be rational one must have a consciousness, the ability to have thoughts and feel pain, to begin with. “For a fertilized egg, there is no consciousness and also no history of consciousness” (Stem). If abortions are allowed within the United States, why shouldn’t embryonic stem cell research be? Another claim against embryonic stem cell research is that it devalues human lives. “Some argue that researching embryonic stem cells will lead us into cloning technology” (Embryonic). While embryonic cloning is a possibility, we already possess the capabilities to clone so cloning is an invalid argument. The final argument against embryonic stem cell research is that there are alternatives, like adult stem cells. While adult stem cells may be utilized, they won’t be as effective. Embryonic stem cells are not only efficient but also renewable. They can be grown in a culture where as adult stem cells are extremely rare, if there are any. They can only be found in mature tissue. Isolating these extremely rare cells is challenging and has a high failure rate if not harvested correctly. “One major difference between adult and embryonic stem cells is their different abilities in the number and type of differentiated cell types they can become” (Stem). Using adult stem cells we might never understand our development from conception ...
As technology stem cell research intensifies, so does the controversy about whether such scientific progress is moral. In the past millennium to today the present stem cell research has become a controversial topic across the world. Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have unique regenerative abilities, allowing them to divide into specialized cell types. Understanding why these processes occur is essential to curing disease. Critics of stem cell research argue that the extraction of embryonic stem cells involves destroying an early embryo, equating the act of killing a human. Although stem cell research is a highly controversial topic, it is compulsory to continue stem cell research within ethical boundaries for the benefit of mankind.
Every year countless people are diagnosed with cell based diseases, 7.6 million a year alone receive the petrifying news that they have cancer. But what if we could eliminate the idea that a cancerous diagnosis is the equivalent of a death sentence? The use of embryonic stem cells could, for the first time, make diseases like cancer or parkinson a non-issue. This is why the use of embryonic stem cells should not be viewed as unethical but rather a huge step towards unthinkable medical breakthroughs and the eradication of life threatening diseases.
Few advances in modern science have generated as much excitement and public debate as the discovery of human embryonic stem cells (hESC). The debate over the use of embryonic stem cells in research has polarized the global community along the lines of those who argue that such research holds the promise of medical breakthroughs for many currently incurable diseases and ailments, while opponents condemn such research as it involves the destruction of a potential human life and is seen as humanity “playing God”. There are no clear cut answers to the moral debate concerning this particular area of stem cell research. At the core of the debate lies the ethical question of which is the more valuable; the life of a human being suffering from a fatal illness or life threatening injury, or the life of a potential human being? These are the difficult questions faced by both the scientists engaged in the research, the legislators who define the laws governing such research and the public as a whole. While many agree that embryonic stem cell research has the potential of developing treatments for a number of afflictions that affect humankind, if such research cannot be performed without the the cost of destroying a life it should therefore not be pursued.
Waskey, Andrew J. “Moral Status of Embryo.” Encyclopedia of Stem Cell Research. Ed. Clive N. Svendsen, and Allison D. Ebert. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2008. 347-52. SAGE knowledge. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.
A unanimous decision should be made on when to consider an embryo a human being that has morality. Until then I believe that the embryo is not close to a human life unless it has made it past the fourteen day period in which it is passed the twinning stage. So with this information I come to the conclusion that under specific regulations and laws, including the ones I mentioned in the summary, the cloning of embryos for biomedical research and obtaining stem cells should be deemed acceptable.
...y, J. (2014). Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Can Meet Ethical Guidelines. In L. I. Gerdes
Embryonic stem cell research occurs when stem cells from fertilized embryos are used as research for treating abnormalities and diseases among humans, by dissecting them and therefore killing the human soul in the embryo. It permanently destroys a living human embryo, sacrificing that precious life worth so much more than people realize. Nobody should be a human sacrifice. Every human life is precious, and from the second of conception, that embryo is a living human being. What is even more heartbreaking is that embryonic stem cell research isn’t necessary, yet it is still conducted. The reason why it isn’t necessary isn’t only because it is unethical, but also because conducting research on adult or cord stem cells, have the same effect as the embryonic stem cells. The difference between conducting research on adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells is that one doesn’t result in the death of an innocent and voiceless life. In every way, embryonic stem cell research is horrible and unethical and no human life should be sacrificed, for in fact, human life begins at the moment of conception. There are other options to find a cure for diseases and disabilities- like using adult stem cell research. Also, scientists have found that another way to conduct stem cell research without killing embryonic infants; which is by using immobilized cord stem cells. Doctors take the immobilized cord stem cells from the umbilical cord after the baby is born, and those stem cells can be used in the same way embryonic stem cells are used. Except when immobilized cord stem cells or adult stem cells are taken, no human life is killed in the process. And whenever there is the option to choose between sacrificing innocent human life and trying to prese...
The use of embryonic stem cell research should be banned all together. To get embryonic stem cells, one has to extract the stem cells directly from the embryo before the embryo begins to mature. These kinds of stem cells can be kept alive when they are grown in cultures. When they are grown in cultures, the stem cells double every 2-3 days. Advocates against embryonic stem cell research believe that human life starts at conception, and this kind of stem cell research requires the killing of the embryo.
There is a number of people who believe that embryos are not human. Because of this accusation, things like abortion and stem cell research appear to be a right and a necessity. But this is not the case, for there is proof that embryos are human. The beginning of any biology and sexual education class will tell you that a baby is created through a fertilized egg, creating an embryo, which will grow and develop to eventually become an adult. Because of this, it's clear to see that an embryo is just the earliest stage of human life. But stem cell research take away these human’s lives. Scientist that are for stem cell
It doesn’t imply that all research with human embryonic stem cells is impermissible, it can be permissible to benefit from moral wrongs; like benefiting from the organs of murder or drunken driving victims to save a transplant patient. I think that embryos are partial members of the moral community. Viewing the embryo as a person rules out not only stem-cell research, but all fertility treatments that involve the creation/discarding of excess embryos. But if its immoral to sacrifice embryos for the sake of curing or treating devastating diseases, it is also immoral to sacrifice them for the sake of treating infertility. I think giving parents the opportunity to have a child through the use of embryos is a noble and moral cause. In a sense, the embryos are never truly destroyed, as they will live as part of someone else or their own