Cloning - Human or INhuman?

[the one]

naturally, i would say cloning is one of the most IMMORAL things a person would do whether to his own kind or an animal. for goodness sakes, they're all living beings that breathe air for survival in this world!! as the most dignified creatures, their dignity must be maintained. recent news in singapore states that they actually have begun to ban cloning...

Singapore bans cloning

Stem cell research rapidly expands under government incentives

Thursday, September 2, 2004 Posted: 1341 GMT (2141 HKT)

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -- Singapore banned human cloning on Thursday and said offenders would face 10 years in jail to prevent "abhorrent experiments."

Singapore is a science hub with some of the world's most liberal rules on stem cell research and aims to boast 15 world-class biotechnology companies by 2010 after pouring at least $1.8 billion into life sciences.

"There is almost unanimous agreement from the international community, local scientific and religious groups as well as our general public that reproductive cloning of human beings is abhorrent," junior health minister Balaji Sadasivan told parliament while passing the law.

The government raised the jail term for human cloning from a proposed 5 years after public pressure.

The law, part of a series of regulations to govern a nascent biomedical research industry, specifically bans placing any human embryo clone in the body of a human or the body of an animal.

It also prohibits developing a human embryo outside the body of a woman for more than 14 days. Any person found guilty of cloning activity could also be fined up to S$100,000 ($58,000).

But in keeping with Singapore's relatively liberal attitude towards human stem cell research, the legislation allows therapeutic cloning, or the creation of cloned embryos for the purpose of harvesting stem cells.

Singapore joins about 30 countries with laws or decrees that "explicitly or inexplicitly prohibit cloning of human beings," said Sadasivan. Of those, about half bar therapeutic cloning, he added, likening Singapore's position to that of Britain.

Courting scientists

Some members of parliament appealed for safeguards against therapeutic cloning.

"We should balance between an overly conservative approach that stifles scientific progress and an overly permissive one," said one member, Ong Seh Hong.

Singapore accelerated its courtship of the world's scientific community last year with the opening of Biopolis, a S$500 million ($290 million) high-tech neighborhood of research buildings designed as a base for scientists and their families.

To draw scientists and biotech funds into its 40,000-sq-meter (430,600-sq-ft) Biopolis park, Singapore is offering a mix of tax breaks, grants and other incentives worth $1.3 billion -- and one of the world's most relaxed legal climates for research.

Facing fewer restrictions than in the United States or parts of Europe, scientists can clone human embryos and keep them alive for 14 days in Singapore to produce stem cells -- master cells that can grow into almost any tissue in the body.

This is fast turning Singapore into the world's capital for work on stem cells, which can be harvested from aborted embryos, embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization or embryos cloned for the purpose.

Alan Colman, who famously cloned "Dolly" the sheep, moved to Singapore in 2002 when his European funding slowed.

Some scientists say stem cell research could yield a cure for Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, but the Catholic Church believes destroying embryos is murder -- a position backed by U.S. President George W. Bush.

Bush's Democratic challenger, John Kerry, has vowed to lift restrictions on stem cell research.

The U.N. General Assembly is divided over whether to allow therapeutic cloning to continue or to adopt a broad cloning ban championed by the Bush administration and Costa Rica with strong backing from the U.S. anti-abortion movement and many predominantly Roman Catholic nations.

Source: CNN Asia

i think as a person against cloning, it would definitely be a great start to convince people that cloning isn't really such a good idea they should push through with. it's just cruel and imagine eating meat from a cloned cow! wouldn't you be disgusted enough to vomit with this horribly horrid picture in your head? i wouldn't dare eating one myself!

[pyro_sign]

I personally have mixed feelings about this. On one side, cloning and expirimenting with stem cells might lead to real good things. We were just talking about this in my Biology class yesterday... But anyway. We mgiht learn more --learn exactly how the body is created and what leads to it and all sorts of things.

On the other side... It's not right. Part of me just thinks... Why are we trying to play God? Why are we trying to create and make beings? We are FAR from being a god or deity... We'rr mere human beings. I don't think we have the right to mess around with cells and DNA, because we should fully understand it all.

I know that to fully understand things, we might have to turn towards cloning, but still... Cloning feels like we act like we have unlimited power and can do anything, but that's not how it is.

><; I'm done now.

[lilmxmissile]

I don't condone cloning a HUMAN.. however, I do think that "Stem Cell research" is a very invaluable thing and Mr. Bush should NOT scratch it off as something blasphemous. If we can reproduce not a human body..but human parts (ok, i'm not trying to sound yucky!)..i.e. a heart, a lung, muscle tissue, nerve tissue.. I think something like this can help many millions of people out there suffering from cures that now seem hopeless..but really are not out of reach!

[yukiko]

dunno how to state my opinion bout this. but CLONING IS NOT A HUMAN. coz human is un-create-able

[soapie]

this reminds me of the novel "frankenstein". i first studied the controversy of cloning after reading this novel. when you read it, you'll see how the author sees how cloning(or creating life) creates an imbalance to society because you're adding something to it that wasn't supposed to be there... in this novel the monster's actions are completely uncontrollable and causes mad chaos and violence. (correct me if i'm wrong, its been many years since i read it). its an extreme (unlikely) view of what cloning could cause, but it demonstrates how cloning/creating life may affect our society in a negative way.


on the positive end, as many have said, stem cell research is showing major milestones in the healthcare area... so i guess i'm torn. cloning for the purpose of advancing health care and doing research to treat illnesses is okay.

[littleasian]

i think the process of "clonin" has to do a lot with stem cell research. Basically, stem cells are cells that when differentiated can turn into any other types of cells. I think thas how scientitsts can get like a human ear grown on a mouse and stuff. Basically scientists want to use this process of "cloning" in order to create new human parts. Say for example your ear got bit off. Grow a new one!

However, i odnt think scientists will seriously "clone" humans. Cloning has proven to be a very expensive and unlucky venture...one in like 500 clones survives past the intial fertilization of the egg and matures into a zygote. Remember dolly the sheep? ya i think she's dead now.

I think a lot of people have in their heads this wild idea brought up in many science fiction novels an dmovies, where clones are creatd without their knowing and than they somehow take the originals lplace or can be ordered to do evil. Examples are: The Sixth Sense (movi featuring everyone's favorite governor Arnold Schwarzzenager >> spelling his name is a chore). Also many books feature this topic.

Many peopel believe cloning is inhuman, because an actual human "clone" will not be as recognized as the original; they will be dehumanized. FAct of the matter is, the chance of scientists "growing" a clone of any human being in the near future is highly unlikely. And if it does occur, the clone will probably not be anything like the original. Thats because in order to create the exact same person, you woudl have to bring up the clone in exactly the same matter as th eoriginal person. This is nearly impossible by today's means.

Cloning is no simple process. This topic can seemingly frighten and excite people. Yet peopel shouldn't freak out about it. STem cell research is VERY VERY good for everyone.

whoo...long post :wave:

[pyro_sign]

I think even stem cell research is kind of immoral. I know it will do good for everyone but... In a way... Like how you said, give someone a new ear or organs that will help them live longer... I know life is a thing everyone wants but it seems to me that no one truly seems to actually realize Life until they're near-death. I think life is a one-chance thing --once it's gone, it's gone.

Stem cell research and creating new body parts is just... Messing around and playing with Life. x:

[babyxv]

my class had a debate about the different types of cloning in history last year. i don't remember much... but i remember that there was a type of cloning where.. they could clone organs and stuff so they could be replaced. i thought that that kind of cloning is a very good idea and can save lives.

cloning humans and animals though, is VERY pointless, in my opinion. WHY would you clone humans? i guess if people wanted to clone endangered animals.. then, i guess that works.

so basically, i'm not against the WHOLE idea of cloning, because some types are good.

[zhy378]

hmm.. i think im kinda neutral leanin toward inhuman. cuz that would be weird, to found out that ur a clone. eek. that would be like stealin someone's identiy.
hmm..lots of books with the topic/plot of clones. like there was one fiction bk, where there these clones who died cuz of this disease that a scientist cloned from his daughter in order to find a cure. :whistle:

[kirasuran]

i reckon that they should not bother cloning humans...there is no point...it would be simply depressing for a clone to find out they are not unique, but are jus a mere copy of something....organs would be good...but then...theres the arguement that if u had a terminal disease, they could tweak ur genes to make u free from that, and then clone you...so u would hav a more safe life...

[kasic_fantasy]

well if its cloning a animal or what then its ok with me...but for human...hmm depends what the reason is...but still...its inhuman :dry:

[jay_chou_]

I think it's inhuman... not just for humans but for animals aswell. Everything was created uniquely so I don't think anyone has the right to clone humans or animals because it's not natural.

[azndragon1987]

I see potential for an unknown hidden gene that can be essentially growing in numbers very quickly, and possibly be a problem for the genetic pool. Diversity is a good thing when it comes to genetics.

[ClicketyClam]

i belive that it is inhuman to clone like an whole animal or human, but there are ways where scientists can just clone body parts can't they? so like if a boy need a liver transplant, they can use cloning technology to help save him. . . . if you guys have seen the 6th Day where they cloned people repeatedly, i think that what they did there was kinda scary. . . .
i see what you mean when you say there can be a problem in the genetic pool. its kind of the problems that you get when you inbreed a species too much like greyhounds or dalmations. . . .

[azndragon1987]

As for cloning body parts, I believe that is more closely tied with stem cell research, which is to produce healthy organ cells from the original stem cells as soon as scientists learn the proper "commands". The liver also regenerates, to some extent, as well. The lack of variation in the genetic pools is extremely dangerous, because an illness, cancer, or bacteria/virus that targets a specific genetic weakness could potentially wipe out the human race.

[amdawn]

i accept it as a means of research to help one understand diseases but the result of it should be development of drugs to offset harmful onset of alzheimers and other diseases. it is another thing altogether to grow another organ to sustain a life. it is altogether unnatural to harvest these items in large numbers and distribute them. i say to let nature takes it course and determine the rise and fall of the human being. in this day and age, we have increase our life span till 70-80 years easily. we may not all have same life span, but it is amazing how resilient the human spirit can be.

[JianDan[Ai]]

There is nothing wrong with cloning humans in the name of science as long as the clones process stays to stem cells and body parts incapable of thought. And realistically, if there was ever to be a clone of a entire human being, he would be unique in his own right because he/she is the only clone in the world. There is no way they are going to start their research in cloning with mass cloning. That leads itself to far too many problems. However with all the hardcore bible believers out there who will not stand for humans playing god, I find the chances of any human cloning impossible. Stem cell research on the other hand, which they also oppose very silly. If they feel that is also playing the role of god, why dont they fight back against medicines and vaccines? Vaccines are manipulating the body by inserting dead virus/bacteria to make the body increase its white blood cell count, and medicines are chemical mixtures designed to alter the state of the body and or mind. Isn't that playing god too since in the natural world you cant go pick advil off a tree or bush? And what about surgery? Aren't we playing god by trying to save people's lives? Isn't that defying god? If god wanted that person to die, then dont argue with the big man.

[azndragon1987]

A small addition to JianDan[Ai]'s post, the "survival of the fittest" policy no longer applies to humans as it once did. Medical technology is allowing us to save lives, and allows the "weaker" humans to survive and reproduce, and if they have a defective gene, they will be passed on. Not to sound insensitive or anything, but sometimes you should let nature take its course, instead of saving lives.

[cync.jay]

hehe..good tread..actually i was thinking of posting this tread but i was afraid i might not have good scientific intro of it..well..since last few years..i am really interested on this issue..i used it twice for my asgs..ok..HC definitely have it's pros and cons..in the matter of human or inhuman? it too depends on what type of cloning...for the issue of cloning a whole new human just to harvest some of the body parts as spare part..that's inhuman..but to get stem cells from embryo to grow into specifics organs (therapeutic cloning)..i think that's ok...please i know that ppl might says that embryo is also 'human'...but if we care too much of that..it might be ridiculous..ppl perform abortions every single minute and the embryo just die..JUST die..but for those that are used to obtain stem cells which will help lots of ppl..why not?? anyway..i read in newspaper that stem cells can be obtained from adult's spine fluid(something like that lar) and fat cell...again..if we says that cloning is defying God!! then why does God give us knowledge and let someone discover cloning?? lol..perhaps it's just another step of human's revolution...but again..i am neutral...cause frankly..we still have no exact proof and things are unpredictable..bad things might become good things and vice versa...what bout u guys??

[friends_pt]

I don think cloning is a good idea... it in a way spoilt the nature of everything... but cloning is used to ensure that there's no extint animals but i think this is in a way pushing the responsiblity of protecting endangered animals to cloning... i think it's not a good idea... even if it's a success in cloning endangered animals, it won't be so real n it will break the life of nature...

[LPx31]

I'm kind neutral. On on side, cloning can keep us from being extinct, and on the other, it's just disgusting and wrong to play God.

[sweep]

I'm not in for cloning humans. Maybe animals and plants but not humans. I still believe in the natural. It just wouldn't be the same if humans were cloned. There should be a creation of a unique human not just a replication. Maybe because its because of my religion that I'm opposed to this but despite this I would've still chose that cloning humans is not good.

[enigmatic_phoenix]

cloning whole humans or animals is just not right. so unnatural...and not what god intended. has anyone seen 'the sixth day' starring arnold swarzeneggar? (can't spell his name, sorry). all the cloning goes wrong in that movie and it's so weird. god can make a perfect human, human's cannot. it is not our role and it's risky, potential for 'errors', and unethical. that's just what i think.

[Mushimushi]

I wouldn't say cloning is human or inhuman but the i am just not supportive of the idea of cloning, be it done to humans, animals or even plants. I would definitely object to the idea of cloning humans, as it would mean that criminals could get away easily if cloning humans is legal. I would also say, each human is unique, so we shouldn't try to clone a human as the uniqueness would be destroyed...

Cloning animals and plants has not given me that great an impact as compared to that of cloning humans but i am still not supportive of the idea as it all relates back to uniqueness, and i think its better to let nature take its course.

[SimpleBlackHumor89]

i thin it's stupid, like what's the point, if they are doing it to help medical research, the clones are human too yes? so if they perform experiments, wont it kinda be like torture and everything. the only good thing about it, is that it can be used to help extince species of animals, i think tha'ts the only sole purpose, and for the good of animals, cos man, there's plenty of humans

[f4ll1ngupw4rdz]

It's inhumane. Since I'm a Christian, I believe only God should be able to create humans.

[snowflake]

Somehow I felt that cloning is a grey area. Everyone has different opinions. There are definitely benefits but there are also disadvantages and danger in it. Cloning will required strict monitoring and guarding of the facilities where is it done to prevent others from accessing to the information.

We can’t stop science from progressing but we can make sure (and must make sure) that the cloning procedure is in the right hand and not exploited for money..

A.I is a movie that reminder me of cloning. Only in this case, it is a robot.. Still this might be the result if cloning if not carefully handle..

[.huifen.]

Cloning. It all depends. It can be cloning in a matter of Human Beings and Plants. Well, the biggect group of possibility. I'm against cloning Human. It's just inhuman. As for plants, I guess it's actually Okay.

But I guess... Why not just ban cloning all around the world? Cloning doen't have a 100% success rate. And why go against nature? God create and plan things like this. He have a reason. Why bother cloning?

But wells, on the matter of this cloning issue, different people have different views. So it's all up to one to think whether it's right or wrong.

[sean-eka]

it is inhuman. People have you-know-what . S*X just to have kids. Cloning is like you creating a non-living monster. I hate cloning. And will never ever support. If it is for Science, maybe... but if it becomes part of everyday life, i totally disagree with it!

[HarmonyCloud]

I think maybe cloning certain body parts maybe okay, for example, lets say someone has a kidney failure, and there are none for him/her left (not enough donations etc..) so lets say the doctor could clone one see it could maybe save a life....

[zhy378]

im beginnin to think that it is somewhat inhuman. i just finish readin this fiction book, which was sci-fic-ish but pretty good. anyway, the clones r used so when their master, are like gettin hecka old like 143, he can use his young clone who he had educated, gave his clone almost everything to be just like a non-clone, just have his clone killed to get their organs, etc
so it would be like hmm... geez brain these days arent functioning well, i think im gonna have myself clone so i can then kill it and have its fetus brain. :dry:

[seaweedpatchkid]

I do not support human cloning. It's that simple. Really, it is.

I don't think it's ethical to go about and make a copy of someone. How would you like two of you running around when you're the real thing and the other one's surpassing you? How would you like it if there even a second you, period?! I'd be kinda freaked out.

There is, of course, stem cell research. I do believe that this is a promising field. When doctors will be able to manipulate cells to create organs for those who are in need. It will save countless lives and make life easier for many. It does breech unusually close to human cloning, though. It is because of this that people get nervous about it.


Bottom Line: HUMAN CLONING IS INHUMAN. Stem cell research is a promising field of medical science.

[petricia]

I guess cloning human is a no-no for me... Nah.. i have no religious concerns over here... (not that i am trying to write off the importance of religion... i study them...)

But i am not against the cloning of human 'parts' if it is one day proved that it will be of beneficial to humankind without huge problems. By human parts, i meant hearts, kidneys, livers... [well... i only know so much...] If they could try to 'harvest' from a pile of tissues these vital organs that people are waiting for, i am not really against it. We may have to use an animal organs one of these days if we dun get enuff transplants. (i think they are trying to see if pigs' hearts/organs are suitable for human beings... not confirm though.)
Well... hence i definitely support stem cells research, hopefully it is from the "what is the coil that held us to the womb?"... yah... coz it is still a bit cruel to me to just kill another would-be life just for the sake of researching...
Another thing is the cloning of vegetables or animals for food... i guess one of the greatest problems in the world now is famines. so if food can be cloned and given to people without much adverse effects... i definitely agree to it...

[azn_noodles]

i'm actually learning about cloning right now in school! i guess i'm a 1/2 and 1/2 person. i mean, cloning can really help humanity. like, it can cure lots of diseases, replace body parts, lower crime, etcetc. it can be bad though, because there could be lots of discrimination (watch GATTICA?) (plus, you'll be able to choose the genes of your kid, which can discriminate the 'nautrally born') and your privacy really isnt there anymore. theres lots more arguements, but i'm not gonna post em' all. it'd take up the whole page o_O but i guess it depends on what people use cloning for. its just a matter of time....a matter of time...

[stupidaznboi]

I don't have a problem with cloning, but for all the people out there who think that cloning could or can bring back a loved one, well you're quite wrong.

Cloning can only bring back someone physically, they cannot bring back your memories, your personality or the way you think. People often think that Hitler could be brought back to life, and World War 3 would erupt. That is certainly not the case.

I support cloning, as it has promising advantages in the field of medicine. Imagine in the future, if you lost an arm or a leg in an accident, you would be able to 'grow' a replacement, and not get it fropm a donor. And since that arm was grown by your DNA, you body would not have a problem accepting it. Cloning is also the way forward, in the past, one would not think that a computer would be the way of the future.....and yet look at us now... cloning can and will most probably be the way of the future, we have to move forward, theres no stopping the research. Even if governments DID ban cloning, who is to say that some crazy scientist isn't going to conduct research illegally?

THink about it people, cloning is more beneficial to us than it is harmful...

*the thought expressed in this statement are mine and mine alone, if you do not accept the points that i put forward, then kindly ignore it.*

[lee hom x3]

hmm.. im a bit apathetic about this topic. i think cloning can be beneficial but it is also a waste of money most times. since cloning is relatively new in the science world it hasn't been perfected yet, therefore each time when people try cloning.. a frog.. it works maybe one out of six times. each time they try can cost tens of thousands of dollars. waste! :oops: the money could be going to something like AIDS/HIV research or something more useful.

[crystal tears]

I think cloning makes perfect sense. Ok, maybe some of u might argue there are bad points, so maybe there are, but if forced to choose, i'll choose cloning as human instead of inhuman. what's wrong with cloning, say a sheep? we are not doing anything to it, to hurt it, or to cause it any pain. we merely extract it's cell to make a duplicate. So there are people saying that this is SO bad, to the extent that it's worse than killing the sheep for some lamb chop? I really wanna laugh when i think of this simple logic.

[Seltsi]

Cloning of humans should not be done. Why? Because what scientists will be doing is playing God and deciding that they can create a person that is the exact replica of another person. What should be seriously considered is the psychological and mental effects that would be felt by the clone. What kind of life would you be living as someone who has already live? That takes away all pretense of being an individual, because you're just the exact copy of someone else. What you accomplish, they would have already done years ago. Cloning should not be allowed because it doesn't allow for the clones to be individuals and to be unique to themselves. Consider the consequences, come on!

In terms cloning animals, yeah that's okay, for situations such as trying to increase the population of endangered animals. Cloning by means of using stem cells is also okay, because it would allow people at risk the chance to keep living. It would seem inhumane to use living cells and manipulating them to become another type of cell, yes, but overall it's advantageous.