Human Cloning Essay Research Paper Technology has

Human Cloning Essay, Research Paper

Technology has been a fundamental aid to humanity almost since the beginning of our species. At the earliest period of human life not one but three separate species shared this planet and the taxonomic classification of the Homo genus. (Hominid ) For thousands of years Homo Erectus, Homo Neanderthalensis, and the more intellectually advanced of the three, Homo Sapiens, coexisted in a constantly conflicting but stable relationship. Until, quite suddenly 100,000 years ago Homo Erectus disappeared from the face of the earth, with Homo Neanderthalensis quickly following. (Hominid ) Modern anthropologist and archeologist piece together clues from fossil records, cave paintings, and even studies with living aboriginal groups to draw conclusion as to what was the cause of this abrupt shift in the evolution of humanity. The most accepted theory to date depicts technology as the key factor. Homo Sapiens with its larger brain developed complex tools like spear throwers, fish nets, and the first cattle pens while its vestigial neighbors lagged always a step behind only capable of copying existing technologies. As the three species clashed for the best lands it was a superior intellect and a unique command of technology that afforded Homo Sapiens victory over its more physically impressive rivals.

Back home at the dawn of the information age cloning is among the newest and most controversial products of technology. The surprise announcement of the birth of a cloned ewe, Dolly, in 1997 by Scottish scientist Dr. Ian Wilmut shocked the world. Current cloning research is based primarily on Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, the technique developed by that Scottish lab. It involves extracting the DNA containing nucleus of an unfertilized egg and replacing it with the nucleus of a human cell. The egg

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is then implanted into a surrogate womb and the resultant embryo is a clone of the person who donated the original human cell. (Bailey, 45) Even when this system of cloning was still in early stages of research scientists around the globe immediately realized it could be translated for use on humans, and the prospect of human cloning was not has complicated or challenging as previously thought. In the blink of an eye, the formerly fantastical notion of human cloning became a distinct possibility. This powerful new knowledge not only sparked the imaginations of people everywhere but also brought new questions to contemplate and responsibilities to shoulder. Prior to Dolly the issue of the morality and ethics of cloning had been relegated to discussions of a purely theoretical nature. Up until that point, to most people the possibility of human cloning in their lifetime was about as probable as getting beamed to the grocery store.

More recently, in a startling turn of events an American biotechnology firm in Massachusetts, Advanced Cell Technology (ACT), announced they that had actually produced a living human embryo via Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer. Most staggering of all, they claimed to have done it three years ago. (Arnst, 67) One of their researchers, Dr. Jose Cibelli inserted his own genetic material into a blank nucleus of a cell taken from a cow. A hybrid ball of human cells occupied the bovine egg and grew for two weeks before the researchers terminated it. (Arnst, 67) Had it been transplanted into a surrogate mother and permitted to grow to maturity the ensuing offspring would have been Dr. Cibelli s exact duplicate. The company had kept their breakthrough secret for so long for fear of public backlash, and only released this astonishing news in November of 2000 when a new CEO was installed. Clonaid, a company backed by an unconventional

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religious group called the Raelians and based in the Bahamas where there is no legislation banning human cloning research, plans to finish the job ACT started. Clonaid s team of international scientists led by French biochemist Brigitte Boisellier hopes to produce a replacement copy of a deceased 10 month old girl before then end of 2001, and by all rational estimations they have the expertise and the funding to succeed. (Gibbs, 51)

The vast majority of experts in the genetic and reproductive sciences agree that human cloning is not a particularly difficult procedure. In fact, sequencing and recording the 30,000 genes of the human genome was a far more arduous, time consuming, and expensive undertaking. Groups such as ACT and Clonaid have already begun the initial undertakings and many more companies are sure to follow into the potentially very profitable new industry of human cloning. Now that we know human cloning can and will be done the natural question is should it be allowed.

After the initial report of the successful cloning of an adult mammal in Scotland then President Clinton ordered the formation of a National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC). In their initial report, Cloning Human Beings, they include an article with the resolute title, The Risks of Human Cloning Outweigh the Benefits, in which they provide numerous arguments for the banning of human cloning. Among the most prominent state that cloning should be barred because it fosters the treatment of people as objects, provides no clear benefits in exchange for risks, fosters aberrations of social structures, and compromises the dignity and uniqueness of indiv