Cloning

1092 Words3 Pages

Cloning

For hundreds of years man has wondered what it would be like to clone human beings. With the idea of cloning comes many different opinions and positions. The idea of creating an army of "super humans" has long been a dream of many people. Others have feared what would happen to the world if cloning were possible and if cloning is morally correct. Overall, religion and ethics play a vital role in the both of these viewpoints and greatly effect many positions on the topic of cloning.

In February of 1997 Dr. Ian Wilmut, a 52-year-old embryologist at the Roslin Institute in dinburgh announced the cloning of a lamb named Dolly 1. He had replaced the genetic material of sheep's egg with the DNA from an adult sheep. The findings of Dr. Wilmut immediately created many new controversial questions. None were as controversial as: Will they apply this to humans as well? According to Dr. Wilmut, the answer was "there is no reason in principle why you couldn't do it"(clone humans), but he added, "All of us would find that offensive."2

From the viewpoint of those in favor of cloning human beings do not see it as morally, or ethically wrong. Many see it as an opportunity to have children, or possibly to "re-create" a child who is dying from a terminal illness. Many infertile couples are worried that they would never have the chance to someday have children through new technology that would be brought about through cloning. Others believe that it is an invasion of personal freedoms because the government may try to dictate what a person can do to their body.

Anita Manning, a writer for USA TODAY revealed another argument in favor ...

... middle of paper ...

...n, Daniel. "A Step Too Far." 23.

3 Manning, Anita. "Pressing a 'Right' to Clone Humans." p1D.

4 Glassman, James. "Should we Fear Dolly?" Sec A p17.

5 Anyonomous. "World Wide: Clinton Proposed" Sec A p1.

Works Cited:

- Anonymous, "Trials and Triumphs in the History of Cloning," Successful Farming 97

(1999) S28 - S30.

- Anonymous. "World Wide: Clinton Proposed" Wall Street Journal 10 Jun 1997: Sec A

p1.

- Callahan, Daniel. "A Step Too Far," New York Times 26 Feb 1997: Sec A, p23.

- Chase, Chevy. "Dealing with Dolly: Inside the National Bioethics Advisory

Commission," Health Affairs 17 (1998): 264 - 267.

- Glassman, James K. "Should we Fear Dolly?" The Washington Post. 25 Feb 1997: Sec A

p17.

- Manning, Anita. "Pressing a 'Right' to Clone Humans." USA Today. 6 Mar 1997: p01 D.

More about Cloning

Open Document