Should Cloning Be Ban Or Not?

[chalice]

Originally posted by Withcheese+18 May 2004 - 09:18--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Withcheese @ 18 May 2004 - 09:18)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-delphin460@18 May 2004 - 08:06
cloning for medical research as in stem cells i agree with

but total coneing of a human is just wrong , who are we to mess with evolution

Though it could be argued that a species that can self-adapt through these techniques to it&#39;s environment could be the next step in evolution. Instead of taking millions of years to adjust we could literally "evolve" over night.

In theory this sounds good (to me at least) though that tricky thing of human nature would more than likely get in the way... [/b][/quote]
That scenario would require a monumental switch in morality. I tend to agree with you there. That technology is basically our grey matter evolving at an accelerated pace.

However, there is huge resistence, I think, in our own minds simultaneously. Scientists, Darwin included, have always wrestled with the morality of their research and the impact it might produce.

Darwin actually stayed the presses for some twenty years, fearing public and divine retribution.

[Barbarossa]

Darwin was a devout Christian, so everything he was observing went against everything he believed in, it was a big problem for him..

Cloning research will happen, whether it gets "banned" or not, so I think it should be carefully regulated, rather than banned. Like any research it can have either great benefits or great peril, depending how it is used.

Stem cell research is very exciting, for example they claim that in a few years they will be able to grow new teeth instead of having to fit dentures, etc, which is amazingly clever.

Also the possibility of replacing fingers and limbs can&#39;t be ignored, also internal organs such as kidneys, livers, spleens, even hearts and lungs.. The "ear on the mouse" scenario is ghastly, and makes a powerful image for the anti-cloning lobby.

Whether you would want to clone a whole person I&#39;m not sure. The technology is a bit iffy, and genetic damage caused during the process could lead to horrendous consequences. If a new tooth goes wrong then you can just throw it away, if a new person goes wrong then this isn&#39;t the case.

As for cloning animals to save them from extinction, I don&#39;t think this is really viable. However part of me does feel excited about the possibility of some kind of "Jurassic Park" research going on, I don&#39;t think it will happen.

[SeK612]

Its currently being discussed on "This Morning" (ITV 1) if your in the U.K

[Cheese]

I want to say something like "We have enough dinosaurs around here already" but I&#39;ll probably get cyber-slapped.

[Rat Faced]

Originally posted by 3RA1N1AC@18 May 2004 - 07:49
you know... if you created a million clones of George W Bush, and put them in a room with a million typewriters for a million years, they would eventually write the world&#39;s greatest novel.

No they wouldnt, thats the higher lifeforms such as Chimps.

It would take GW that long to figure out something happened when you pressed the buttons on the typewriter...

[clocker]

Discussions about cloning always seem to end up mired in abstract arguments about "playing God", etc.
In other word...ethics and morality.

I think that the ultimate benefits of cloning research lay outside the obvious, short -term results that we can imagine now.
Just the advances in knowledge re: how we are put together/work will probably lead to improvements far surpassing the growing of new teeth ( or legs...whatever).

The pursuit of knowledge is a good thing and should not be stifled.

[Busyman]

I don&#39;t think cloning should be "ban".

[clocker]

Fortunately Mr. Fugley, I don&#39;t think that even the most deranged scientist would ever clone a clown.

That would just be wrong.

[J'Pol]

Originally posted by clocker@18 May 2004 - 18:24
Fortunately Mr. Fugley, I don&#39;t think that even the most deranged scientist would ever clone a clown.

That would just be wrong.

They&#39;re already here.

[Cheese]

On a related note where does the term or catchphrase "Send in the Clones" come from?

I see it a lot in papers and quoted in films (like Judge Dredd off the top of my head) but have never figured out where it comes from...