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sobriqueI heard on the radio this morning, that there's been the first request for human embryo cloning.
The research project is to try and develop cloned insulin producing cells.
I'm still a little confused as to what the big arguments against cloning are. I mean, as far as I can tell, the ability to re-grow organs, tissues etc. would make an awfully big difference to quality of life around the world.
No more people permanantly blinded.
Heart disease becomes fixable.
Lung cancer repairable.
I can see there's sort of arguments that 'things man wasn't meant to know' but I really don't think there's many places where that line could or should be drawn.
I've heard vague fears of people cloning themselves. And I don't see the problem with that either. I mean, it's not like you can grow a clone and do a brain transplant. That just doesn't work AFAIK. So what you've _effectively_ got is a x year younger identical twin.
It's certainly settle the 'nature vs. nurture' argument.
So would anyone care to enlighten me? Why would be cloning be 'wrong'?
The research project is to try and develop cloned insulin producing cells.
I'm still a little confused as to what the big arguments against cloning are. I mean, as far as I can tell, the ability to re-grow organs, tissues etc. would make an awfully big difference to quality of life around the world.
No more people permanantly blinded.
Heart disease becomes fixable.
Lung cancer repairable.
I can see there's sort of arguments that 'things man wasn't meant to know' but I really don't think there's many places where that line could or should be drawn.
I've heard vague fears of people cloning themselves. And I don't see the problem with that either. I mean, it's not like you can grow a clone and do a brain transplant. That just doesn't work AFAIK. So what you've _effectively_ got is a x year younger identical twin.
It's certainly settle the 'nature vs. nurture' argument.
So would anyone care to enlighten me? Why would be cloning be 'wrong'?
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Date: 2004-06-16 02:45 am (UTC)If you want to engineer your child to be male, tall, blonde and blue eyed then I'd find that much more of a problem. Where you draw the line between medical and 'cosmetic' engineering is a much thornier issue.
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Date: 2004-06-16 02:57 am (UTC)And I agree, that it shouldn't be done for 'trivial' reasons.
What would be your opinion though, if someone found the gene for aging, and could alter it to give someone 'good health' for another 10 years?
The biggest danger of genetic engineering is IMO 'conformity'. The danger being not so much cosmetic stuff, cos at the end of the day, that's just 'skin deep'.
The real danger is if there were a discovery to being genetically predisposed towards being gay, overweight, or some other trait that some might consider 'undesireable'.
That's treading on difficult ground IMHO. Where does the line get drawn?