I was reading an article online the other day about the benefits of human cloning.
First off I want to say... I can see some of the reasons being medically beneficial, but I CANNOT see any positive or optimistic views or reasons for the way @donaldmarshall and others in a similar situation as he/they are in have been treated.
It is appalling that people have such disregard, inhumane thoughts and actions against a powerless person; or clone. The more I read, research and dig into the possibility of human cloning existing and seeing how someone can torment another person, the more dismayed I become with humanity.
Human Cloning Benefits
In today's post, I will be running down some of the reasons listed in the above mentioned link and article and either being pro or con for the reasons they have given. This article also lists five negatives to human cloning; which I will be discussing tomorrow in a separate post.
Biological Children To Infertile Couples - Well, first... isn't that what IVF is for? Granted IVF, and even surrogacy, may only have one of the parents as a true biological parent but still... do we really need more science interference where nature should be taking control?
I can understand couples wanting to have children; for various reasons. Whether to continue the family name, namesake and to have a family to share the love. As a parent myself to three grown children, I can relate to the unconditional love I have for each of them.
I also know that sometimes IVF doesn't work. Years go by, bank accounts are drained and yet no baby. It is heartbreaking. I'm just not sure cloning junior is the way to go.Compensating A Loss- Loss of a child, parent or other loved one? That is part of life (and death); the cycle or circle of life. If we were always to have the option of "replacing" a loved one, how would we learn empathy, sympathy or even how to mourn, or deal with loss. People already mask their emotions.
Organ Harvesting- Now this one.. I am half-hearted to agree with. There are so many people on organ transplant lists and they are actually dying while waiting. I am having to search for any reason for saying much negative here.
The Elimination of Birth Defects- This one could have a medical and life benefit that I find hard to argue, be negative about or criticize, with the exception of this...
There are so many possible birth defects that could happen to a baby how do medical professional, or parents for that matter, determine WHICH birth defect is justified? And then... if this becomes a reality, would natural conception become irrelevant and non-existent. Would an entire generation be the beginning of human cloning for all generations to come? food for thought...Prolonged Life- Like a human cloning fountain of youth? Hmm, I can't get this one to register in my mind. I keep picturing a sci-fi movie about some Dr. Evil and a Mr. Control-Freak Elite harvesting human clones at -will. They need a powerful army.. POOF... you got one. They want to bring back all the great minds of last few centuries who were dictators, mass murderers or worse. Do we really want that to be our future? Or our children's future?
Bring Back Great Minds- hmmm, again, who determines the criteria for this? What ten people may consider a great mind, ten others may not. While I may think B.F. Skinner, the man known for behaviorism in the psychology world is one of the greatest minds in the world, you may think physicist Marie Curie is the one.
There is just too much room for arguments and prolonged decision making here.Medical Advancement Boom- this is in regards to the expansion of medical research; perhaps even new medications for yet to be cured diseases. So instead of testing new medications' side effects on rats, mice and other toss away like rodents, human clones would be used? I can see a slim benefit here as medications tested on clones are more closely (obviously) to the human body.
So of these seven possible benefits to human cloning, which do you agree with? Or don't agree with? And why?
It's a scary thing!
As a sci fi and science fan I read a lot about it and most of the possibilities can be used in a bad way...
of course if whoever is doing it has good intentions it can also be really positive like creating replacement organs... not like they did in "The island" movie of course... :)
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It's such thought provoking stuff.
I've thought about it a lot and there is so much selfishness and cruelty at the basis of it. A life, is a life, is a life. All life should be precious no matter how it came into being. Something about all of this makes me feel so sad. Humans are capable of such horrific things in the name of science and progress or just plain comfort and luxury.
Harvesting organs, medical testing, and all the other justifications for creating human clones seem selfish and bitterly cold. I am definitely against it.
If harvesting human clone organs is "morally ok" ... why not do it to villainous nasty murderers instead?
On a side note: Have you ever seen the TV show Orphan Black? I only saw the first season quite a few years ago but I think there are 4-5 seasons. The main character discovers that she is a clone and eventually uncovers that she has a lot of clone sisters who are all part of an illegal human cloning experiment. Each sister was raised separately, under widely different conditions, and they all have very unique personalities. You might find it interesting.
I actually just found out about Orphan Black when I was doing research. I have a post planned about TV shows and movies about cloning, Illuminati and how Big Brother is watching all of us.
I believe it's on Netflix. And I will definitely be watching it. I also reserved a few movies from the library interloan service- One is the movie The Island which I haven't watched in quite a few years. I want to watch it this time and take notes; since I know the events and story line, now I can focus on the other information, topics and lingo.
Very cool. I don't think we get it on Netflix in Canada which is too bad. We never get the same big selection as you do in the US. I'd like to see the rest of the episodes. I was really enjoying it. I'll have to drive into the town and see if their library has movie rentals. That's a great idea.
Some of the problems I imagine...
Isn’t a cloned person another human being? Harvesting organs would be murder.
Cloning everyone? Sexual reproduction is nature’s way of adapting to changing conditions on the Earth. Short circuiting that process is potentially disastrous.
Cloning genius? Only possible if the exact environmental influences can be reproduced. Different synaptic connections different results.
Who decides what a birth defect is? What if skin color became a legally defined birth defect? What if having just 2 hands became a defect? Would this open the door to the creation of humans with extra appendages or body types for increasing production in corporate sweatshops. Think of the potential misery of these engineered humans. Would brain power be diminished to avoid this misery? Would these creatures be disposable?
Some even more speculative thoughts...
Could this be a way to validate the existence of the soul? What if a soul is forced to return to its cloned body? Does spiritual evolution cease?
What if a clone has no soul?
If a new soul takes up residence in a cloned body then you have a new human life that only appears to be the original on the outside.
So many possibilities for unintended consequences.
In theory, cloning is a good idea for the reasons you have stated, however.... In reality can we trust cloning to go ahead. Profits will dominate and tarnish their reasons to push forwards and satisfy their investors...
STRICT rules need to be in place or we will quickly come across more threats to humanity.
I am quite unsure about the human organ harvesting.
Presumably a clone is created, grown to some point of maturity, organs are harvested. The clone is killed.
A tricky cycle with tricky ethics. What would be the status of the clones? Would they just be farm animals?