Essay about Human Cloning

Submitted By odabbro14
Words: 1204
Pages: 5

Odaro Adu
Freshman Composition 1
Dr. Banks

An Argument about the Legalization of Human Cloning

Human Cloning
Human Cloning, what started off as a monumental and astounding achievement in Biology, has recently become one of the most controversial and talked about issues in the world. Human cloning is defined as the process or practice of creating a genetically identical copy of an individual or the cells and tissues of the individual. It can be divided into 2 categories and they are (i) Human reproductive cloning, where a human cone is created, and (ii) Therapeutic cloning, where human cells are cloned for the use of research. Cloning has been a part of human history for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Mankind have been cloning plants, “growing a plant from a cutting”, longer than records show. In 1901, Hans Spemann split a 2-cell salamander embryo into 2 parts which developed 2 complete organisms. In 1914, Hans Spemann performed the first successful nuclear transfer experiment. A huge accomplishment in the cloning field came in 1964 when F.E. Steward of Cornell University grew a complete carrot plant from a fully differentiated carrot. All proved that cloning from differentiated cells was possible. Some small animals and critters have been cloned and the history dates back to the 1960’s. However, talks of actual Human Cloning were not thought possible until 1997 when the successful cloning of a mammal, Dolly the Sheep, occurred. This was a huge scientific and technological breakthrough but it also derived many medical and ethical issues and concerns associated with the possibilities of actually creating a replica of a human being. And important issue is whether or not Human Cloning should be legal. Major arguments include the following: Is it ethical? Can is be abused of misused? And lastly, Do clones have rights and legal protection? After careful examination, it will be proven that Human Cloning should be legal and would be a great beneficiary to mankind.
One argument is whether human cloning is ethical. Ethical can be defined as of or relating to the moral aspects or principles of a particular topic. Opponents claim that human cloning goes against the natural order of reproduction. Most people say that Human Cloning is not acceptable due to their particular religious issues and health concerns. They say that cloning could create serious and unforeseen consequences. An example of these consequences is the death of Death the Sheep which was deemed premature. She suffered a lot of health problems like lung disease, premature aging, DNA degradation, and arthritis. Her sickness was so bad that doctors and scientist decided to end her life when she was 6 years old. This was accredited to her been a clone. Opponents say that cloning would cause unnecessary suffering for the clone and deem it unethical. This claim is invalid. For many years now, there have been many treatments for women and men that are infertile. Many drugs and treatments and injections that sometimes have harsh side effects to the individual. Human cloning would just be another route for those who want a child and as people already choose to take treatments for their infertility, individuals would choose to either clone or not to clone for an offspring. Further testing and research could also assist modifying issues that arrive from cloning. Therefore cloning would not affect the ethical aspect of community.
Another argument is whether Human Cloning can be abused or misused. Abuse can be defined as to use (something) to bad effect or for a bad purpose; misuse. A country or an individual might create a program similar to the idea that Nazi Germany had of creating and having the “perfect” race; they might bred humans with particular traits and eliminate others. Once the "perfect" human is developed, cloning could be used to multiply that individual and produce unlimited numbers of clones. The same approach could be used to create individuals