human cloning

Hannah

i know that there has been other posts about human cloning before now, but i was just wondering how people have reacted to this recent development. As far as i can see, on a purely scientific level it was the inevitable "next step" but ethically there hasn't been the public outcry that i would have expected. Personally, i'm beginning to get very cold feet about the whole thing, i feel that there is no resrictions on what can be done and what should not be done and that as it stands, anyone with the technology can clone a human regardless of their intentions (i may be wrong on this point though, it's merely how things appear to me). Without going into a massive debate on ethics, i was wondering what everyone else thought?

Bob the Unlucky Octopus

That's not the case at all Hannah It's not permitted in most countries to clone a human in vivo.

There is already been, for some time now, a substantial amount of legislation firmly in place that outlaws the implantation of a human clone. However, recently the US and British governments took the next sensible step, to ban the cloning of human embryos in vitro. This prevents people from cloning the embryo and peforming the implantation procedure in a nation with no law against it. I think we can be fairly certain that there is enough legislation to prevent organism cloning of a human being.

There are however, no regulations contravening stem cell research, for good reason. Stem cell cloning has the potential to halt or even cure several degenerative diseases (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, MND, CF, and MS), in other words, several of the conditions from which many of us are likely to suffer in old age. This in my mind can only be a good thing, though I agree we must proceed with caution- stem cell clones are at present extremely unstable, with up to 8 times the normal rate of development, a rate of mitosis normally reserved for malignancies. We are still a long way away from reliable stem cell cloning, but the problem can only be addressed through the testing mechanism of research.

The ethics of the issue trouble me not one bit, while I am very spiritual, I don't think that the potential for life-saving advances should be ignored. If the research is carefully controlled and well-monitored (standards are unbelievably high at the moment), then there is no reason we should barter human lives for the sake of human ethical quandaries.

Occy

nesf

I must agree with Occy on this one. My biggest fear is that research that could potentially provide life saving results could be prevented because of the "ethical concerns" of people who understand little of the subject.


For example most ppl don't actually understand what cloning is, and can only throw out a few media buzz-words like DNA etc. I do agree that there is a very dangerous moral and ethical minefield within cloning research but for the most part the research being carried out is done so in a ethical and moral concience and to a very high scientific standard. But a few "bad apples" could cause a large public outcry that might be very detrimental to the present programs.

DeVore

I could do with a few more DeVore model 3's occy when you get a chance

Oops, I've said too much.


I'm with Occy on this too. I think we need to know. Bad people will do bad things anyway, it'll just take them longer and a scapel can be used to slash as well as save... should be ban scalpel makers now too?

I think the research should be unfettered with religious concerns. Imho, only scientific concerns (which are real and numerous) should be addressed.

Make with the testtubes occy, that batch of Regis you sent were very accident prone

DeV.

MiCr0

from a science point of view:
i know a load of ppl who have done degree's and post-doc's in genetics and they are greatly bound by law and ethics in what they can and can't do.
trying to be allowed to test on cells/dna of anything has to be applied for, justified and granted.

its not just a matter of
"hey - do u know what we should do today? - Lets clone Hitler!"

][cEMAN**

Question - if you had a full clone of yourself which was able to retain memory and personailty through the cloning process....would you like/dislike this person?

I'm curious....see personaly i'd piss myself off within about 30 seconds cause i'm a stubborn bastard ("No I'M the original!!"), but I think 5 of me would make a damned good CS team...ya can't beat that teamwork eh? hehe

Cake Fiend

This is the point at which we take our own evolution out of the hands of nature, and into our own control. The only problem I have with human cloning, genetic engineering, etc is that humans are too curious for our own good. The fact remains that we don't know what we're doing, and we don't know what kind of long-term effects GM and cloning could have on the gene pool - but we'll do it anyway. Nothing anyone says or does will stop this scientific 'progress'. So I say screw it, it's going to happen anyway, whether I like it or not (along with mechanical augmentation, etc).

But seriously, I personally don't understand the problem some people have with human cloning. If someone were to clone me par example, the clone would be an entirely different person (a 20 years younger person for starters). It would be more like having a younger twin brother than a sinister replica of myself. A human's personality is defined by countless factors, including upbringing influences, education, peer values and opinions, various psychological influences and lifetime experiences, etc. A person is their memory.

Apologies if I sound wacked-out, I'm currently rather intoxicated.

Addendum: E.g. If someone were to clone Adolf Hitler, the clone more than likely wouldn't grow up to be a racist, hypocritical megalomaniac.