Ian Wilmut Pushes the Case for Cloning Humans
Without so much as uttering the phrase, Wilmut quietly articulates the case not only for the potential efficacy of "therapeutic cloning" but also for ceasing to use that word and "re-claiming" the scientific use of the verb "clone," i.e. meaning the activities that have been more recently associated with therapeutic cloning as a moniker.
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Well, Wilmut has also supported reproductive cloning once it is safe, suggesting, along with Glenn McGee, that requests of potential cloners be treated like adoption requests are now handled. He has walked a long way in the wrong direction since he eschewed any interest in human cloning in his book about the creation of the third cloned mammal, Dolly.
- by Wesley J. Smith on Aug 23, 2005 at 7:53 PM | link
I've always found the reasons against reproductive cloning, once the safety issues are put to one side, to be pretty vague.
Can anyone give me some strong reasons that don't fall back on an unanalysed reference to dignity? (Note: I think arguments in favor of reproductive cloning in terms of autonomy are pretty flimsy too.)
- by Sam I am on Aug 23, 2005 at 10:45 PM | link
"Bring me human eggs, the necessary social consensus and legal permission and I can get you your replica within a year," says cloning expert Park Se-pill of Korea's Maria Biotech. "In contrast to widespread public belief, cloning a human is much easier than cloning a cow or pig."
From today's Red Nova News
"Someone, Somewhere Is Trying to Clone a Human Now."
http://www.rednova.com/news/science/217425/someone_somewhere_is_trying_to_clone_a_human_now/
- by Beverly on Aug 24, 2005 at 4:02 AM | link
Actually, issues of human dignity are important. And they are not unanalyzed. But they are certainly not the whole story. If you haven't read "Human Cloning and Human Dignity," from the President's Council, it provides a superb analysis of why reproductive cloning would be wrong. And, it was unanimous, meaning that not only Leon Kass, Robert George, and Bill Hurlbut signed on, but so did supporters of therapeutic cloning such as William May and the martyred Elizabeth Blackburn.
- by Wesley J. Smith on Aug 24, 2005 at 4:05 AM | link