STEM CELL RESEARCH

Lisa Lowlife

Stem Cell research is an example on how people value various aspects differently.

I have a couple of questions to ask:

Both an abortion and someone dying from a major disease is a tragedy, which have the highest value?

Does a breakthrough in the research justify the methods?


I am currently researching this and would appreciate any opinions.

darjeeling

See this thread, which asked the same question. I expect you'll get exactly the same unanimous 'Yes', given that stem cells used in research are not necessarily taken from embryos. In fact, scarcely a month goes by without a major news organisation reporting on significant progress in non-embryonic stem cell research.

Capt'n Midnight

I don't think anyone has a problem with non-embryonic stem cell research.

You need to do more research into polls
they need to be multiple choice and you need a don't know / don't care option
and a selection for other in case people don't fit into your black and white categories

CathyMoran

As long as it is not using embryos then I do not have a problem but I would not want someone to die just so that I could have a better/longer life (I have at least one of the many conditions that such research would help).

ZorbaTehZ

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

You need to do more research into polls
they need to be multiple choice and you need a don't know / don't care option
and a selection for other in case people don't fit into your black and white categories

+1

Limerick Dude

There are so many different factors involved.

Are they adult cells or are they embryos.

If the embryos being used have the permission from the doners that they can be used in stem cell research.

Also it all comes down to if you believe that an embryo is a human or not? Is it only a human when it attaches to the wall of the uterus ? Or is it a human when the sperm fertilises the egg.

Overall, i agree with stem cell research, i think a utilitarian view on ethics is best here, even though i dont usually agree with utilitarianism, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks here.

AtomicHorror

I do stem cell research, albeit stem cells taken from people's bone marrow. I have doubts regarding embryonics, but not really for ethical reasons. I think adult stem cells have more therapeutic potential and don't angry up the fundies.

AtomicHorror

Lisa Lowlife wrote: »

I am currently researching this and would appreciate any opinions.

Researching in what way? You've got a bias in your poll just by posting it on the internet, and another by putting it in a science forum. You're pretty much guaranteed an overwhelming yes vote. Plus your question is wide open. What sort of stem cells? Embryonic? Foetal cord? Adult tissue origin? The ethical questions differ wildly in all three cases.

Even when asking your abortion question, what stage do you mean? There's a massive difference between a blastocyst (which I have to assume is your target) and a foetus.

DrIndy

I have no problem with either form of stem cells.

We badly need progress in many diseases and the possibilities with stem cells is breathtaking.

The issue is not that 100,000 embryos will be killed a year - stem cells are researched on in stem cell lines - once the line is created, it is maintained - you do not need one embryo per test tube X1,000,000 to do this research - just enough to created an immortal line of pluripotent cells.

People initially opposed the railways because it was believed that travelling faster than 60MPH would result in your neck snapping.

Limerick Dude

Of course it makes sense to use embryos for stem cell research when they are going to be destroyed by fertilization clinics anyway, but I think the ethical issues need to be turned to the fertilization clinics also. Obviously its a sensitive subject in the sense that who are we to question whether a couple are allowed to have a baby or not.

claireeney

Lisa Lowlife wrote: »

Stem Cell research is an example on how people value various aspects differently.

I have a couple of questions to ask:

Both an abortion and someone dying from a major disease is a tragedy, which have the highest value?

Does a breakthrough in the research justify the methods?


I am currently researching this and would appreciate any opinions.

are you trying to make up your own mind or doing a survey?
either way i dont really think this is the best place to do it. you will start a heated argument which i have heard numerous times. these questions have personal answers and conditions attached to each. you can find out what you need to know from internet sites.
questioning abortion means you are referring to embryonic stem cells and questioning methods either refers to abortion, human sacrifice or animal testing. why are u even mentioning abortion anyways??? you should clear this up a bit.
ah i dont care, this is makin me :mad: