Human/animal hybrids (link). It's not a new idea, but it raises some interesting issues in terms of the protection of human life, and the definition of "human." Does the substitution/insertion of a short "alien" genetic sequence render a human embryo non-human? Does the substitution/insertion of a short human genetic sequence render a non-human embryo human?
Obviously, the scientists are not going to treat the hybrids as though they are people, and yet are interested in them precisely because of their genetic derivation from people.
-Turretinfan
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
6 comments:
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And cloning? Your view?
ReplyDelete--Godith
Cloning occurs naturally in the womb in the form of identical twins (and rarely triplets or quadruplets).
ReplyDeleteIt is essentially a form of asexual reproduction.
I don't think cloning raises any of the issues associated with hybrids.
Of course, producing children for the purpose of harvesting their organs, whether by artificial, natural, or induced natural cloning, or the old-fashioned way, is loathesome and abhorent.
-Turretinfan
Ah, just what I thought.
ReplyDeleteArtificial cloning is not natural cloning, so your answer is largely irrelevant. Cloning essentially produces a brother or sister, not a child. It raises enormous questions ethically.
So, for about the first time, I basically disagree with you.
--Godith
Both natural and artificial cloning produce a brother (or sister). There is no activity on the part of the parents to produce two children from one initially fertilized egg.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to clarify, though.
What would be an example of the enormous ethical issues?
It seems straightforward that the result of cloning (whether natural, induced, or artificial) is a human being with an indivual identity, but a high degree of genetic similarity to the clone's sibling.
-Turretinfan
To clarify, artificial cloning produces a brother or sister of the (adult)parent. Get it?
ReplyDelete--Godith
Dear Godith,
ReplyDeleteArtificial cloning can raise questions of paternity ... should the gene donor be considered the parent, or should the donor's parents be considered the parents.
The most natural solution is to treat the gene donor's parents as the parents of the artificial clone.
-Turretinfan