Ok, I was just wondering about his today. What is the real objection to human cloning? For say the replacement of a lost child. I don't see any other real purpose. Cloning for organs is just wrong plus it will take too long to be of any real use. I don't want to hear because it destroys human embryos, because those embryos are going to be destroyed anyways, why not make them useful, or if you want to go this route, they were unfertilized human eggs that were encouraged to split, then the genetic material was added (basically I'm saying that it was never a embryo too begin with until the material is added.
I'm just curious as to what the actual objections are beyond it's destroying a life to begin with? No real judgment, since I don't think it will actually be a major part of the future, cloning specific organs yes, but not whole humans. And remember that the clone will not always be exactly the same, their will be differences, but it will be close.
Best,
Brett
You know, I'm all for stem cell research and cloning. It seems to be a natural path for our technology and advancement to take.
ReplyDeleteThe usual arguments against it that I hear are from religious groups (not to just point a finger) or pro-choice activists, yet they don't seem to cite any reason other than "murder".
I agree that life starts usually when organs are formed...not when cells begin to cluster.
Hey Brett, you should check out my blog! I figured that since everyone else has one...I might as well too. :)
http://stuffjunkwhatnot.blogspot.com/
Check it out if you get the time!
-Erin
Hi Erin,
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I'm pretty much the same, except that I'm more a life doesn't start until the fetus can survive on it's own, but that's a personal thing.
Nice job on the blog:)
Best,
Brett
I support stem cell research and cloning hands down. I was glad when California went against Bush and decided to move forward with stem cell research. I never saw it much as murder, how many bloody chicken eggs do we eat a day and every time you wear a condom your killing sperm anyways and like you said Brett, the damn things are going to be thrown out anyways so at least put them to good use. I doubt human cloning is going to happen anytime soon and there is bigger issues with it, namely the brain and if your spiritual, a soul...but we're still so far away from even making it happen I don't see the point in outlawing or arguing it now.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteMaybe if we can figure out how too regenerate nerve cells we can swap brains, but then do you really want to put your old brain into a new body that looks like yours? Of course not you'd be going for the deluxe model just like I would! And then you'd have to worry about altzimers and the like of the old brain in the new body;)
Just some more info, people of the Jewish fate have no objection to human cloning. And Muslims seem to split like Christians, the fundies are against it and the more enlightened are for it, or at least have not problem with it.
Best,
Brett
Cloning? I believe it to be an inevitable evil. I'll tell you why...
ReplyDeleteLet's say there was a sudden clone of myself; an exact same replica. The first thing I'd do is try to eliminate that clone. There's someone running around with my exact same abilities (possibly improved due to gene therapy). I'd be replaced. I'd be discarded.
There would be no reason for my existance, because EVERYTHING I strived to achieve has been bested by a fake of myself. It wouldn't be another humankind who TRAINED to beat me, or lacked certain skills in one topic, but a biological robot. Even identical twins have tremendous differences in skill. However, if human beings could be cloned and improved, the originals wouldn't serve a purpose. They'd be sent to the grinders.
Marvel really shot itself in the foot when they did that clone bullshit with Spider-Man. Marvel lost SO MUCH MONEY over that abomination after they claimed Peter Parker was the fake and Ben was real; replacing Peter Parker in the process. Do you have any idea how many fans were pissed off by this? I sure was. There's only one Spider-Man. End of story.
Hey, if cloning can be used to help someone else, then by all means use it. Don't even DARE think about cloning me though. There's only one:
-Raid The Revenge
...actually, I'm sending this one to hell.
ReplyDeleteGene therapy or stem-cell research or whatever you call it.
It costs money.
Rich people will BUY their abilities while poor people get nothing. The rich get more powerful while the poor get poorer, thus expanding a gap that even a lifetime-athelete couldn't jump across. Cloning doesn't decrease disparity; it increases it.
Whatever defies the dead, begets the living. By conducting clone research and gene therapy, you're detracting from the purpose of life. There's no point in training for skills when they're simply given to you. Your immune system will be garbage. More and more people are developing allergies because their bodies aren't challenged enough these days. Obesity is the worst problem people have, due to a lack of exercise. Sorry, but no amount of gene therapy could cure that. Naturally, if people aren't constantly challenged, they become weaker. Cloning and gene-therapy will give good at first, but bad in balance later. You'll therefore need more gene-therapy to cure it. It will all cascade into a downward spiral of degeneration; my greatest fear.
If people could live forever; they wouldn't.
-Raid The Revenge
LOL! Raid, what an imagination!
ReplyDeleteJust to clear up a few things, your clone won't be the same as you. It will look similar and might be akin to a twin (which s a natural clone...see it's already happening!;)) But unless it downloads your brain and thought patterns it will not be you. It will have experiences unique to it, it won't have yours and those shape who you are (I'm using third person pronouns since this would apply to both sexes, it wouldn't be a it.)
You are right, rich people and unscrupulous people would try to make designer babies. This would need to be outlawed, but using it for curing medical disorders would be a good idea once we start colonizing space, there are enough people on Earth already.
I agree with the allergy and obesity stuff, now if I could just loose this 5-10 extra pounds I'd be happy. But I don't think the immune system would be degraded, in fact I think supping it up would be the first thing they would do (nanites?) It would cut medical expenses. Of course if scifi tells us anything then there will be some sort of huge colossal downside to the immune system thing and everyone would die;)
Statistically if you didn't die of old age you'd only make it to about 410. Eventually some major event or accident would get you. Unless you lived in a bubble that is;)
Best,
Brett