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# In the movie Jurassic Park, based on the best-selling book of the same name by Michael Crichton, scientists clone dinosaurs by using the DNA that was preserved for millions of years. However, there is trouble when the cloned dinosaurs turn out fiercer and smarter than expected. Can dinosaurs really be cloned? Theoretically, they can; all that would be required is DNA from an extinct dinosaur and a currently living closely related species which would act as a surrogate wart. In fact, there is ongoing research to clone the Woolly Mammoth by extracting the DNA from frozen animals.

Actually, cloning is a phenomenon that occurs naturally in a wide variety of species from aphids to armadillos, to poplar trees, to bacteria. Whenever you see a pair of identical twins, they are examples of nature's clones. Although scientists have been cloning certain organisms like the carrot quite successfully for decades, attempts at cloning animals have not been as successful. However, they began long before the birth of Dolly, the sheep - the first mammal to be successfully cloned. There were sporadic successes at cloning other animals, like CC (abbreviation for 'copycat'), the first cat to be cloned, an Asian gaur, an endangered species, which Bessie, a cow, gave birth to, and way back in the 1960's, frogs being cloned, albeit with limited success. In fact, in the 1980s, some companies tried commercializing the cloning of livestock by the process of taking the nuclei from fetuses and embryos. These efforts generally resulted in failure because the newborns usually did not survive for long due to being unhealthy. Livestock cloning, currently, is still in the process of research. However, it is generally accepted that in time the scientific viability of producing healthy clones will become a reality.

Although cloning other species does give rise to some misgivings, whether reviving extinct or endangered species, or to reproduce a dead pet, the prospect of cloning humans artificially is one of the most controversial debates that the human species has been pondering about, raising a number of ethical issues involved. In fact, the social impact of producing humans artificially was brilliantly explored in the famous novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and also in the movie The Island.

Human cloning is basically about creating a genetically identical replica of a previously existing or existing person. Why would anybody opt to clone human beings? Well, generally, it will be one more option by which infertile couples can have children. Replacing a deceased child is also another reason why some people have expressed interest in the procedure.

There are various methods of human cloning: embryo cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. There is another method of cloning, known as replacement cloning, which at present exists only in theory. It is a combination of both reproductive and therapeutic cloning. Replacement cloning involves replacing a body that has been extensively damaged, or has failed, or is in the process of failing, via cloning, followed by transplanting the brain either partially or entirely. This procedure has been projected as a way of greatly extending human lifespan.

Embryo Cloning: In this procedure, identical twins are produced, basically by reproducing how twins are created naturally. A few cells are extracted from a fertilized embryo, which are induced to develop into duplicate embryos. The twins that are thus formed have identical DNA. Although this procedure has been used on various animal species, there has been only limited experimentation done on humans.

Reproductive Cloning: In this procedure, the DNA is removed from an ovum and replaced with the DNA extracted from a cell taken from an adult animal. Next, the fertilized ovum, which is called a pre-embryo now, is implanted in a womb, which then develops into a new animal. Thus, this procedure basically produces a duplicate of an existing person. Based on studies done on animals, it results in animals being born with severe genetic defects. This is the main reason why many in the medical field think it to be a profoundly unethical procedure to be carried out on humans. It is specifically banned in many countries. However, there are rumors that this procedure has been used successfully to initiate a pregnancy by the controversial Italian embryologist, Dr Severino Antinori.

Therapeutic Cloning: The initial stages of this procedure are practically the same as Reproductive Cloning. However, in this, the stem cells are extracted from the pre-embryo, with the intention of generating a whole organ or tissue, so that it can be transplanted back into the person who gave the DNA. The pre-embryo, however, dies during the process. The aim of therapeutic cloning is to create a healthy organ or tissue of a sick person, in order to transplant it into them, instead of relying on organs from other people. This eliminates the need of waiting lists for organs, and since the organ has the same DNA as the donor, there is no need to take immunosuppressive drugs, as is required now after transplantations.

At this nascent stage of cloning, there is no consensus yet about the ethical issues that are thrown up by the process of the destruction of human embryos, so that stem cells can be collected. Many conservative Christians and others concerned about the ethical issues of cloning think that the embryo is equivalent to a human being right at conception, and should be given the same rights. Since the process involved in the removal of DNA is similar to the process of conventional conception, because both create a pre-embryo, it is thought that the pre-embryo is a human person. In therapeutic cloning, the process of extracting stem cells, therefore, is equivalent to murdering the human being. Religious and ethically conservative people think it is ethically wrong to kill one person so that another person's life can be extended or saved.

Others, however, are of the opinion that the embryo does not require any particular moral consideration, because at the stage when it is cloned, it is just a bunch of cells that contain DNA, and are not very different from the millions of skin cells that we shed everyday. The embryonic cells at that stage cannot be considered equivalent to a human being because it does not have a brain, thoughts, self-awareness, memory, awareness of its environment, sensory organs, internal organs, legs, arms, and so on. They think that the embryo attains human personhood much later during gestation, perhaps at the point when the brain develops so that it becomes aware of itself.

Here are some questions concerning the ethical issues of cloning humans for you to ponder about:

Is cloning humans "playing God?" If it is, then how about other reproductive procedures like hormone treatments and in vitro fertilization?

Does an embryo, at whatever stage of its existence, have the same rights as human beings?

Do we have the right to have children, regardless of how they are created?

Is it justified to create stem cells by killing a human embryo?

Is it ethically right to harvest organs from clones?

If a clone is created from an existing person, who is the parent?

Will cloned children face any social repercussions? If so, what?

Can cloned children be manipulated to become monsters, like Hitler, or slaves, as is explored in Brave New World?

Should the research in cloning by regulated? If so, who should regulate it, and how can it be regulated?

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What are the issues in cloning?

Some of the key issues in cloning include ethical concerns related to the manipulation of life, potential negative health outcomes for cloned individuals, and questions around the long-term implications on genetic diversity and ecosystem balance. Additionally, the high rate of failure in cloning processes and the high costs associated with research and technology are practical challenges that need to be addressed.


Can you go to prison for cloning?

In some countries, cloning animals is legal but cloning humans is not. Those found cloning humans can face legal consequences such as fines or imprisonment. It's important to understand the laws in your specific jurisdiction regarding cloning to avoid potential legal issues.


Why does human cloning matter?

Human cloning raises ethical concerns related to individuality, identity, and the potential for exploitation. It also raises practical concerns such as the safety and success rates of the cloning process. Additionally, cloning could have implications for societal norms and relationships, challenging traditional concepts of family and parenthood.


How might cloning be harmful?

Cloning can be harmful due to potential genetic abnormalities and health issues in cloned organisms. There are also ethical concerns related to the exploitation of animals for cloning experiments and the potential for loss of genetic diversity within a species. Additionally, cloning can raise questions about the definition of individuality and identity.


What are the ethical issues related to cloning?

It depends which species we are talking about. Cloning of animals and plants does not raise any new ethical issues. Cloning of human beings (which so far has not been done) raises new ethical issues. What is the legal status of cloned people - will they be granted all the same rights as other human beings? Will they be mass produced to be used as soldiers, slaves, etc.? Who will raise them? Will they be genetically modified? If so, are they still people? And so forth.

Related Questions

What are the issues in cloning?

Some of the key issues in cloning include ethical concerns related to the manipulation of life, potential negative health outcomes for cloned individuals, and questions around the long-term implications on genetic diversity and ecosystem balance. Additionally, the high rate of failure in cloning processes and the high costs associated with research and technology are practical challenges that need to be addressed.


What are the ethical issues with cloning cattle embryos?

There are not many ethical issues with embryo cloning in cattle but one of them is that it's not natural.


Can you go to prison for cloning?

In some countries, cloning animals is legal but cloning humans is not. Those found cloning humans can face legal consequences such as fines or imprisonment. It's important to understand the laws in your specific jurisdiction regarding cloning to avoid potential legal issues.


Why does human cloning matter?

Human cloning raises ethical concerns related to individuality, identity, and the potential for exploitation. It also raises practical concerns such as the safety and success rates of the cloning process. Additionally, cloning could have implications for societal norms and relationships, challenging traditional concepts of family and parenthood.


What are the disadvantages of biotechnology?

It includes ethical and moral issues about cloning and the effect of this in society.


What are some practical uses of animal cloning?

People use reproductive cloning to create a duplicate of an existing organism with desirable qualities. For example: a farmer has a cow that produces lots of milk, you would choose to clone this particular cow above others with less-desirable qualities. Sources: BC Science 9


How might cloning be harmful?

Cloning can be harmful due to potential genetic abnormalities and health issues in cloned organisms. There are also ethical concerns related to the exploitation of animals for cloning experiments and the potential for loss of genetic diversity within a species. Additionally, cloning can raise questions about the definition of individuality and identity.


What are three public issues that are related to science?

There are a lot, but cloning, space travel, and pollution are three of them.


What are the ethical issues related to cloning?

It depends which species we are talking about. Cloning of animals and plants does not raise any new ethical issues. Cloning of human beings (which so far has not been done) raises new ethical issues. What is the legal status of cloned people - will they be granted all the same rights as other human beings? Will they be mass produced to be used as soldiers, slaves, etc.? Who will raise them? Will they be genetically modified? If so, are they still people? And so forth.


How does the cloning of cows affect the cows?

Cloning can have mixed effects on cows. While it can help in propagating valuable genes and traits, it may also be associated with health issues and abnormalities in the cloned cows. Additionally, the process of cloning can be stressful for the animals involved.


What is cloning and why are people so upset about it?

Cloning is the process of creating an identical copy of an organism or individual. People may be upset about cloning for various reasons, including ethical concerns about interfering with nature, fears about the potential misuse of cloning technology, and issues related to the welfare of cloned animals. Additionally, there are concerns about the implications of cloning for genetic diversity and the impact it could have on larger ecosystems.


What is the potential benefits of cloning human beings?

Cloning humans raises ethical concerns and challenges around individuality, identity, and potential exploitation. Additionally, there are unresolved scientific and technical challenges, such as high rates of failure and health risks for the cloned individual. Overall, the ethical and practical implications of human cloning outweigh any potential benefits.