Cloning, Yes or No? From the archives of www.termpaperadvisor.com A few years ago, a little boy was sleeping quietly one night in his room. Suddenly, during the middle of the night, the boy woke up horrified. His house was on fire. He called for help, but no one heard his cries. The firemen finally came and dragged him out of his burning home. The boy, who once looked like any normal child, was now severely burned beyond any possible normal recovery over 90% of his body. His ears and cartilage were permanently damaged. It was later found out that the father was the arsonist who started the fire, and actually wanted to kill his son. Now that little boy is scared for life. But what if there were some way to be able to grow a new ear and nose, and skin to help him get back to normal? These advancements are possible through genetic cloning. Many people hear the word cloning, and become so appalled that we would ever think of such a thing. They believe that we are not to play God, by growing body parts and organs just for research. I agree that genetic cloning is a very sensitive issue, both ethically and religiously, however, the medical and psychological advantages outweigh the few disadvantages.
Many religious groups are up in arm about the idea of cloning, especially the thought of using embryonic tissue to help in the process of cloning. The main way that the doctors get the embryonic tissue is when a baby has either died, or has been aborted. The thought of human cloning has brought up one main issue, about how we as humans, are not to play God. Only God can do that! The type of cloning that I am discussing is dealing with the issue of purely cloning individual body parts and organs that are useful for transplants on people that are in serious need. A more specialized term for this is therapeutic cloning. Professor Ruth Chadwick, the chairwoman of the international Human Genome Organization (H.U.G.O) subcommittee on cloning, says, There should be no attempt at reproductive cloning - that is the producing a genetic ˜copy of a human being. Research on the use of cloning technology to produce particular cells and tissues, for example, skin, nerve or muscle, for therapeutic transplants should be supported(Spinks). I do understand the feelings of certain groups that believe that what some people are trying to do is wrong, by trying to change the natural process of the way things are supposed to be. How are we going to know how far we are supposed to go, and if we do go to the limit, will we stop there? Some may think that we have already gone too far. There is the belief that God planned it to be a certain way, and that we should not interfere.
There are many great medical advantages of genetic cloning however. Just think, an elderly man contracts a disease, which destroys his eyesight. He is able to receive a transplant of some retinal tissue that was cloned from his own tissue, and his eyesight can now be restored (Nash). This is only one of the possibilities. Through genetic cloning, doctors are now able to get rid of a crippling gene, that holds a disease, and replace it with a new gene that is an exact replica, but without the disease. We would be able to help so many of those who are physically and mentally challenged. What about those who need another liver, or an ear, that had been recently lost in a tragic accident? These people could now be restored back to normal. This still brings up the topic, of who are we to get involved, and this question will probably never go away. It is a great idea to be able to go in and help someone that is in need. I believe that if you are able to help someone, then it is your duty to help him or her. I think it would be cruel to just leave a person the way they are if something could be done.
As well as the medical advantages, are many psychological advantages. That poor boy that was literally set on fire, and left to die, did not deserve any of that. Now he is left to live the rest of his life with the severe burns and scars. Imagine the many years of agony and pain of having to look into a mirror, and not even being able to recognize yourself. With genetic cloning, one could help him little by little back to recovery. New skin could be made and graphed on to his body, and maybe one day it could help him recognize himself.
Cloning is a very delicate subject, and should be taken very seriously. It can mean the possibility of saving some ones life, and letting them be. We should all be open minded, and realize all the possibilities that there are with cloning. Sure there may be some negative aspects, but we need to be able to see that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. We should also learn to be careful with the power and knowledge that we gain each day, and learn how to use it without destroying the initial purpose of what we were trying to do. Cloning can help many people, either on there way to recovery, or by just helping them get to what they may see as a normal life. Each new discovery that we make each day empowers us more and more. We must be careful.
How Far Should We Go? Time.com Home page. 21 March 2000. Time.com/time/daily/special/genetics/ethics.html>. Nash, J. Madeleine. The Case for Cloning. Time.com Home page. 21 March 2000. Shannon, Thomas A. “Ethical Issues in Genetics. Theological Studies. Home page. 1 March 2000. Shermer, Michael. “Only God Can Do That Skeptic. Home page. 1 March 2000. Spinks, Peter. “Cloning to fight disease backed by ethics group. The Age. Home Page. 21 March 2000. news/news12.html>.
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