The Ethics of Human Cloning Coleen Martin and Lisa Melton

What is Human Cloning? Human Cloning- A clone is “ a group of cells or an individual organism or group of organisms derived from a single cell. Thus a bacterial colony is a clone, as are identical twin human beings.” ( This definition came from Molecular Biology and Biotechnology by Smith and Wood.) Layman’s terms- taking the nucleus from an individual to make an identical twin.

The Arguments For and Against Human Cloning: Arguments Against Cloning: Cloning technology hasn’t been tested on humans. What about mutations and biological damage? Arguments For Cloning: Very little testing has been done, and the only testing thus far has been on animals. No concrete information about the risk of mutations and biological damage.

The child would be compared to the adult from whom he was cloned. There would be unfair expectations for the clone to perform at the same (or even higher level) of the person they are cloned from.The child’s sense of worth or individuality would be difficult to sustain. Arguments For Cloning: This happens now with fundamentalist parents who isolate their children from the modern world. Some twin mothers already suppress individuality by dressing twins alike. No one’s life is without burdens. Arguments Against Cloning:

Human cloning undermines the structure of the family by making identities and lineages unclear. Is a thirty-five year old really a sister to a newborn clone? Who has responsibility for the child? The genetic view is that the clone is a sibling of the thirty-five year old. Arguments For Cloning:

People who clone themselves are narcissists. Children are engineered to meet certain specifications. Arguments For Cloning: Cloning could be used for lifesaving purposes. For example, cloning could be used so that a dying child could get the necessary bone marrow transplant needed for survival. Arguments Against Cloning:

Something Else to Consider: Gene Transplantation Technology- the goal is to produce a child that has certain traits. This involves taking select genes from a nucleus to produce desired traits. On the other hand, human cloning duplicates the entire genome with all its imperfections.

We don’t interfere with people’s freedom to create and acquire children now (as long as it is legal). Is human cloning any different?

What do YOU think???