Human Cloning: Weighing the Pros and Cons
What exactly is human cloning? Let’s delve deeper into its meaning to gain a better understanding.
Human cloning is the process of making an exact copy of a person. It involves taking cells from a person’s body, putting them into an egg cell, and then implanting that egg into a woman’s womb to grow into a baby. This creates a new person who has the same genetic makeup as the original person. However, it’s important to note that human cloning is a complex and controversial topic with many ethical concerns.
Human cloning is a real thing, as shown by Dolly the sheep. But it raises big questions about God, the soul, and whether clones would have good lives. On one hand, it could help society with medical advances. But on the other, it brings up ethical concerns. Let’s look at the good and bad sides of human cloning to decide what’s best.
Pros Of Cloning Humans
Here are some of the advantages of Human Cloning:
It could eliminate defective genes:
While genetic illnesses are not currently among the leading causes of death, there’s a significant potential for them to become more prevalent in the future. With ongoing human reproduction, there’s a growing risk of damage to DNA lines, resulting in defective and mutated genes. Cloning healthy human cells could offer a solution to eliminate these genetic defects and mutations.
It is regarded as the natural progression in reproductive technology.
Considering that identical twins are natural clones, reproductive cloning can be seen as the technological counterpart to this process. In cases of infertility, should not couples be afforded the opportunity to create clones of themselves? Similarly, for couples who have tragically lost children, should they not have the option to replace their loved ones with clones, if feasible? Furthermore, individuals who have made notable contributions to fields such as science, arts, music, and literature could be ethically cloned to perpetuate their works and impact.
It’s an innovation with the potential to positively transform the world.
Cloning humans is a groundbreaking method that has the power to bring about significant change across the globe. It’s not just about bringing back plants and animals; it’s also about potentially helping people who are alive right now. With cloning, we can explore new ways to improve healthcare and provide solutions to medical problems. This technology opens doors to possibilities we’ve never imagined before, offering hope for a better future for everyone.
Cloning technology contributes to faster recovery from traumatic injuries.
Individuals who have become quadriplegic from severe traffic accidents or athletes who have torn their ACLs may face prolonged recovery periods or even find it impossible to return to their previous condition. Nonetheless, cloning their own cells has the potential to reduce recovery time and facilitate genuine healing.
It offers a fresh perspective on genetic modification.
Cloning humans opens up the possibility for prospective parents to actively select specific traits for their children. This means traits like sex, eye color, and other characteristics can be chosen rather than left to chance. For many individuals, this presents a significant advantage and represents a novel application of science.
It has the potential to eradicate infertility.
While current treatments for infertility have seen some success, cloning offers the possibility of achieving even greater outcomes. For instance, it could involve using cloned cells to create a younger twin of a father or mother. This means that infertile couples could potentially experience the joy of having their own families without having to undergo the painful procedures commonly associated with infertility treatments today.
It can cure some disorders.
The technology has the potential to aid in curing certain disorders by replacing damaged tissues and organs within the human body. This could simplify the process of transplanting human organs, leading to a significantly higher success rate. While the full extent of the medical benefits of cloning humans remains unclear, proponents argue that such technology has the capacity to revolutionize the treatment of many disorders.
Cons of Human Cloning
Now, Lets dive into some disadvantages of Human Cloning:
It risks the possibility of faster aging.
Using older cells to create human clones raises concerns about the possibility of their imprinted age being inherited by the growing embryos. This could potentially lead to premature aging issues and, in some cases, premature death.
It disrupts the natural order of things.
Many opponents of the technology argue that its process is artificial and disrupts nature. They believe that the natural process of procreation should not be corrected or altered in any way. They assert that this form of interference is morally wrong and could potentially lead to unintended consequences. For instance, altering genes to create beings with superior intelligence could marginalize the average person in society.
It has the potential to create divisions among people.
A significant drawback of human cloning is its potential to create divisions among people. Clones who are not treated as equals to human beings could lead to social unrest and further divide society. Given the existing disparities in the world today, including those related to race and social status, many people fear that human cloning could exacerbate these differences, causing more harm than good.
It might decrease the overall value of human life.
As human cloning becomes more prevalent, there’s a significant risk that human beings could be perceived more as commodities than as individuals. Parents may resort to cloning if they are dissatisfied with their children, hoping to achieve perfection in subsequent attempts. Additionally, this could lead to new societal divisions, where perfect clones are treated differently from those who are naturally born.
It contradicts religious beliefs and ethics.
Many individuals with strong religious beliefs tend to oppose the process of human cloning because they perceive it as humans usurping the role of the creator, thereby challenging the authority of a supreme being. Since religion often plays a significant role in shaping opinions on this controversial issue, passionate sentiments can arise that are driven more by emotion than factual considerations. Regardless of the basis for these opinions, religion serves as a motivating factor that prevents many people from embracing such technology.
It has experienced numerous failures.
Opponents of human cloning argue that the debate is moot, as the technology has primarily been unsuccessful. In fact, more than 90% of human cloning attempts have been deemed failures, putting human DNA at risk during the process. This indicates a high risk of contamination, with very rare chances of success. Moreover, the implications of failures are not fully understood, posing potential challenges that may be beyond our ability to address.
Many people simply consider it a fundamentally wrong idea.
Many people strongly believe that human cloning is entirely wrong, particularly given the current state of the technology, which may involve a significant number of damaged pregnancies to achieve a single live baby clone.
Additionally, evidence suggests that clones often harbor genetic defects and are generally unhealthy, potentially leading to premature aging and even death. Bringing children into the world under such circumstances is viewed as morally objectionable, as it jeopardizes the dignity and genetic uniqueness of human life.
There are concerns that individuals could be cloned without their consent, with millions of cells potentially being harvested from them as they go about their daily lives, shedding skin. Furthermore, there is uncertainty regarding who will have control over the cloning process, and some companies are already profiting from storing tissues from deceased partners and children in anticipation of widespread availability of human cloning technology.
Final Thoughts
The advancement of human cloning technology is progressing steadily, raising questions about the existence of a soul and whether it would be lost in the cloning process. There’s also concern that human cloning could be viewed as an attempt to replace the role of a higher power. Finding common ground on this contentious issue is challenging, but gaining a deeper understanding of it may offer some clarity. Examining both the advantages and disadvantages of human cloning can provide a fresh perspective. While the debate surrounding human cloning persists, personal feelings about it can vary.
