Chapter Six: Genetic Engineering, Stem Cell Research, and Human Cloning Applying Ethics: A Text with Readings (10 th ed.) Julie C. Van Camp, Jeffrey Olen, Vincent Barry Cengage Learning/Wadsworth

What is Genetic Engineering? Scientific alterations in human possibilities –Gene Therapy –Stem cell research –Human cloning Scientific alterations in animal and plant life –Modified grains tolerant of disease and drought –Cloned animals

Why clone humans? Creating replacement tissue (spare parts) Producing a fully developed human being for infertile couples Reproducing outstanding humans in history

Moral and Legal Issues of Cloning Do people have a right to reproduce by any available means? Do other societal concerns override any such rights? Will there be harmful effects on the cloned twin? How will family relationships be redefined? Could persons be cloned without their consent? Would cloning be immoral because it is “unnatural”?

Stem Cell Research Ethical Issues overlap cloning and abortion issues Adult stem cell research is less controversial but does not hold as much promise for treatment of disease Another issue: whether federal funding is appropriate or whether this research should be funded only with private funds, due to the ethical controversy

“The Case against Perfection” Michael J. Sandel Ethical issues presented by rapid developments in technology Inadequate: familiar appeals to autonomy, fairness, individual rights, Must consider more traditional questions, which verge on theology – –Moral status of nature – –Proper stance of human beings toward the given world

“Moral Status of Cloning Humans” Michael Tooley There is nothing intrinsically immoral about human cloning –No one has a right to a genetically unique nature –Cloning does not restrict the open future of individuals Cloning promises to be very beneficial to society –Happier and healthier individuals –Solution to infertility –Saving lives

“The Morality of Killing Human Embryos” Bonnie Steinbock Controversy over embryonic stem cell research is similar to that over abortion: – –When does human life begin? – –What is the moral status of the human embryo? Review of different approaches to “moral status” Conclude: permissible to use human embryos in research as they lack moral status

“Stem Cells, Biotechnology, and Human Rights: Implications for a Posthuman Future” Paul Lauritzen Too much narrow focus on stem cell research, whether embryonic or adult Instead, focus on – –prospect of transforming the contours of human life – –our attitudes toward the natural world