What are the ethics of cloning?
Searched over 200M research papers
Summary
10 papers analyzed
Some studies suggest human cloning is ethically problematic due to risks, identity issues, and insufficient ethical exploration, while other studies suggest it may be acceptable under strict conditions and improved regulations.
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Introduction
The ethics of cloning, particularly human cloning, is a complex and multifaceted issue that has garnered significant attention from both the scientific community and the general public. The debate encompasses various ethical, medical, and societal concerns, ranging from the safety and identity of cloned individuals to broader implications for human rights and societal norms.
Key Insights
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Safety and Medical Risks:
- Reproductive cloning is currently considered unethical due to the high levels of risk it poses to the cloned individual and future generations, bypassing essential biological processes necessary for healthy development .
- The safety of reproductive somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is uncertain, and ethical acceptability cannot be met until these safety concerns are resolved .
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Identity and Autonomy:
- Cloning infringes upon principles of individual freedom, identity, and autonomy, leading to potential identity problems and issues with authenticity and uniqueness .
- The cloned individual may face psychological and social challenges related to their identity and autonomy .
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Ethical Acceptability and Societal Impact:
- Human cloning is condemned from various ethical perspectives, including the potential for exploitation and the unnatural alteration of societal diversity .
- Ethical systems such as social relativism and utilitarianism may support cloning if it serves societal or scientific benefits, but individualistic ethics emphasize the right to uniqueness and personal identity.
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Therapeutic Cloning:
- Therapeutic cloning, which involves creating embryos for medical research, raises ethical issues related to the creation and destruction of embryos and the potential for a market in human oocytes .
- While therapeutic cloning is less controversial than reproductive cloning, it still requires careful ethical consideration and adherence to high research standards.
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Legal and Regulatory Considerations:
- Current legislation in many countries prohibits human reproductive cloning, although therapeutic cloning is permitted under strict regulations in some regions.
- Public discussion and societal involvement are crucial in shaping laws and regulations related to cloning.
Conclusion
The ethics of cloning, particularly human cloning, involve significant concerns about safety, identity, and societal impact. Reproductive cloning is widely condemned due to the high risks and ethical issues it presents, while therapeutic cloning, though less controversial, still requires careful ethical scrutiny. The debate continues to evolve, with legal and societal frameworks playing a crucial role in addressing these complex ethical challenges.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
1
The ethics of reproductive cloning.
1
1 Citations
2003
2
[Cloning--ethical aspects].
2
1 Citations
2004
5
[Scientific ethics of human cloning].
5
0 Citations
2005
7
Is cloning moral?
7
1 Citations
1997
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