HUMAN CLONING

Introduction

Cloning, or asexual reproduction, a time honored method of reproduction, is the method by which many extinct and existing species of organisms reproduced. In horticulture clones are defined as descendants of a single plant. This clearly indicates an expected genetic identity within a clone. When a particular genotype is well adapted to a particular environment, cloning is a simple and favorable way to reproduce.

Sexual reproduction permits a continuum of genetic diversity whereby an organism can adapt to survive and thrive in many environments. Even earthworms, which are hermaphrodites, do not self-fertilize. Within a group of organisms, the diversity of genotypes promoted by sexual reproduction likely is responsible for the multitude of types that have adapted to fill various biological niches throughout the evolutionary process.

Background Information

To fully understand the human cloning topic, there are two terms of gestation that must be explained. Embryo is a word that is used to refer to a developing human from the second until the eighth week of pregnancy. From then until birth the developing baby is called a fetus.

The idea of cloning has existed in society’s consciousness for decades beginning with its envisioning by Hans Spemann, a German scientist, in 1938. He hypothesized that by combining an embryo with an egg cell, animals could be cloned. Spemann’s idea was realized in 1996 when the world’s first mammal was cloned. The clone, named dolly was produced by Ian Wilmut and a team at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. A simple technology was used, it was the nuclear transfer. The team announced publicly their feat in February of 1997. The then president, Bill Clinton, placed a moratorium on federal funds going towards human cloning research due to the great amount of controversy that arose over Dolly. Researchers still continued their work though, and by the end of 2000, eight different species of mammals had been cloned.

On January 4, 2003, a project known as Clonaid, which is composed of a sect known as the Raelians that believe life on earth was begun by extraterrestrial, announced that they had cloned the first human being. They proclaimed that the clone baby was a girl born on December 26, named Eve. Clonaid then announced the claims that a second clone baby, a girl, was born to a Dutch lesbian woman on January 3, and a clone boy was born in Japan also in January of 2003. In May 4, 2003, Clonaid claims that they have successfully produced five clone babies, all of which are healthy, and they post that there are new pregnancies under way.

Issues Regarding Cloning

There are many reasons why people think cloning is a bad idea. First of all, why would you make a clone of a person? Some people want to clone a child or a parent that has died. They say it would "bring back" the person that died, or at least remind them of the person that died. But the clone wouldn't be an exact copy of that person. They would be much younger, and would have different experiences as they grew up. Your genes are only half the story of what makes you be you. These clones would grow up to be very different people because of the different environment that they live in. Another reason to make clones is for organ transplants. Right now, if you get a transplanted heart or lungs or liver, there is a good chance your body will say "Hey! THAT doesn't belong here!" and try to get rid of the invader. If you could get a cloned heart, then it would have the same genes, and your body wouldn't try to kill it. But what if the only way to get cloned organs was to make an entire human? Do you have the right to kill your clone to take its heart? How would you feel if you were the clone? Would clones have the right to say "No, you can't have my heart - I'm not done using it"? Finally, cloning is difficult! A lot of times, it doesn't work and the embryo dies. Other times, the baby clone is deformed or has other problems. What should be done with THESE clones?

Medical breakthroughs - Human cloning technology is expected to result in several miraculous medical breakthroughs.  We may be able to cure cancer if cloning leads to a better understanding of cell differentiation.  Theories exist about how cloning may lead to a cure for heart attacks, a revolution in cosmetic surgery, organs for organ transplantation, and predictions abound about how cloning technology will save thousands of lives. 

To cure infertility - Infertile people are discriminated against.  Men are made to feel like they are not "real men."  Women are made to feel as if they are useless barren vessels.  Worse, being infertile is often not considered a "real medical problem" and insurance companies and governments are not sympathetic.  The current options for infertile couples are painful, expensive, and heart breaking.  Cloning has the potential to change the world for infertile couples almost overnight.

Bad parents - Did your parents destroy your life?  Were they alcoholic, child-beating molesters?  Did you never have a chance?  Interestingly, human cloning allows you the opportunity to participate in choosing the parents for your clone.

Because the sick will demand it - Those resisting human cloning research will probably find themselves shouted down by the sick and the maimed who desperately need such research. Human cloning technology promises to cure many or all incurable diseases and the moral weight of the dying and infirm will undoubtedly sway the politicians more than the arguments of the healthy, who often remain ignorant of the potential of human cloning, because they have never been motivated by suffering to look desperately for a cure.

Gay couples - : Gay couples go through so much...not to mention all the controversy...when they decide that they are ready for a baby. People question their right to bring a child that technically isn't related to them into a lifestyle that falls below societies views of normal.....human cloning could allow two gay men to take 23 chromosomes from each male and put them into a single egg to truly have a baby of their own. also two gay women could use this technology to conceive a child of their own using their individual 23 chromosomes." (To our knowledge the type of reproduction described here has not yet been done, but someday it will probably be possible.)