What is cloning?

Cloning is the process in which a genetical copy of a living organism is created. A common misconception is that you would have another person exactly like you, however, the organism would start its life like any other one of itself. This of course would have a huge toll on the organism would be like. If you were to clone humans, your clone would look similar to you, but for instance if the human was brought up in a different country, then it wouldn't speak the same languages as you would. Now that I have got that out of the way, we can move on.

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How is it done?

Cloning is done by getting a specialised cell from any animal and any gender, and an egg cell from the same animal (The egg cell would have to of had the nucleus removed). You would store the specilised cell in a chemical that would stop the nucleus from working. The two cells would then be fused with a direct electric shock. This would make the specialised cell's nucleus work again. The two cells would then join together and reproduce them selves, at first leading to a clump(blastocyst). This clump of cells would then be put into the surrogate mother. This clump of cells would then begin to develop just like a normal baby, later developing into an embryo and then to a baby, ready to be born.

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Why is it an ethical issue?

Cloning in itself is no that important an issue, with the problem really being whether or not the clone suffers for being cloned and having slightly odd DNA. However, the real problems occur when we think about what we are cloning for. Many people argue that the clone is basically its own self, with a life just like any other one of its kind, but we would want to clone mainly for organ and body part donation.

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Why should it be allowed?

There are many reasons to allow cloning. First, we could clone humans for an everlasting supply of donor organs that would definitel be accepted by the recipient. Secondly, we would be able to essentially reincarnate the people among us that have incredible genes, becuase of what cloning is - creating a genetical copy of an organism. It would also mean that infertile couples could have children, by cloning one of their genes. It might also allow us to reverse heart attacks by cloning the healthy heart cells and not allowing them to develop into a human, you could then implant them to repair the heart with healthy cells.

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Why shouldn't it be allowed?

There are also many reasons as to why it shouldn't be allowed. Firstly, the clone has been cloned, and the organism would probably suffer slightly for having the exact DNA of somebody else. There is also the fact that cloning is very expensive, and brings up the question as to why we are doing this. But these are just the cons of cloning by itself. Why would we want to clone humans? Well, for their organs and body parts of course! This would be extremely controversial, as you are essentially creating a human with the sole purpose of disabling it, thus, this is highly illegal.

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My Personal Opinion

My personal opiion is that there is an extent to which we can clone. Cloning humans for no reason other than reproduction is, in my mind, perfectly fine as long as the clone would recieve normal human rights. However the point at which I am against it is when we start using the clones for body parts. This is when it goes too far. This is because, as I stated earlier, a clone should have normal human rights, and so using the clone for body parts is in my mind, essentially disabling somebody, thus probably making their life miserableThat is my personal opinion

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Key figures in the cloning debate

For

Edward Kennedy

Arlen Specter

Against

Francis Fukuyama

Sam Brownback

Mary Landrieu

Leon Kass