CAS PH 251 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, Human Cloning, Reproductive Rights
2 May 2018
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Reproduction:
Cloning v. Sexual Reproduction
• Cloning = asexual reproduction (genetically identical offspring)
o Sex – meant to reshuffle genes in order to prevent against parasites, reshuffle
genes, increase adaptability/variation, break down mutations
• 2 Ways of Cloning
o 1. Embryo Splitting/Twinning – ex: Dolly the Sheep
o 2. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Cloning – take the egg cell (which has half the
female complement), take out its nucleus (inherently removing its DNA), take the
nucleus (and thus the DNA) of a somatic cell (a non-sex cell), and reinsert that
into the egg cell which will prompt cell division
▪ ex: if you removed the nucleus of your own skin cell and reinserted it into
an egg cell, you would have a clone of yourself
• 2 Reasons for Cloning
o Therapeutic Cloning – done for the purpose of embryonic research (ex: organ
cloning in order to save lives)
o Reproductive Cloning – done for the purpose of creating a full organism (ex:
creating a genetic copy of an individual)
• Cloning Animals v. Cloning Humans
Moral Philosophy of Human Reproductive Cloning
• Folk (engaging in a rational thinking process to understand cloning) v. Theoretical
Morality of Cloning
o Kass’s Natural Law Approach to Cloning – believes it to be unnatural and
repugnant
▪ Is this enough to justify public policy/curtailing liberty?
o Rights tend to trump utility in public policy
▪ Question: Are there rights at stake in the process of human cloning?
Moral Arguments in Favor of Human Cloning
• Rights for Human Cloning
o Procreative Liberty (ex: contraception, abortion, children, cloning)
▪ Cloning falls into the spectrum of being a mode to procreate (while
unusual, it is still an option)
▪ This is even more favorable especially if it is the only way of reproduction
o This is broad enough to create moral presumption in favor of human cloning
• Individual Benefits of Human Cloning
o If a person has no gametes, a genetically related child cannot be conceived, so
cloning may be the only viable option
o Cloning can avoid passing on a genetic disease
o Cloning provides organ donor compatibility
o The possible scenario of “resurrecting” a dead child
• Social Benefits of Human Cloning
o Cloning can replicate/reincarnate highly talented individuals
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Document Summary
Cloning v. sexual reproduction: cloning = asexual reproduction (genetically identical offspring, sex meant to reshuffle genes in order to prevent against parasites, reshuffle genes, increase adaptability/variation, break down mutations, 2 ways of cloning, 1. Embryo splitting/twinning ex: dolly the sheep: 2. Moral philosophy of human reproductive cloning: folk (engaging in a rational thinking process to understand cloning) v. theoretical. Morality of cloning: kass"s natural law approach to cloning believes it to be unnatural and repugnant. Moral arguments against human cloning: potential rights violations, 1. The right to for a clone to have a unique identity: argument: genetic identity is not phenotypic identity (ex: identical twins, 2. The right to be ignorant of one"s future clones have no say in their future: argument: genetic determinism (ex: different social/cultural contexts, family history, personal settings, essentially, your life is not determined solely by your genes. It is very much determined by the nature around you: 3.
