Argumentative Essay: Ethical Concerns of Cloning Human Embryos

This argumentative essay delves into the controversial topic of using cloning techniques to create human embryos for research, particularly for therapeutic purposes. It explores the ethical and moral arguments surrounding the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer to derive embryonic stem cells, addressing concerns about the destruction of human embryos, the potential for exploitation of women, and the overall impact on human dignity. The essay weighs the potential benefits of such research, including the development of transplantable organs and treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, against the ethical objections raised by the deliberate creation and destruction of human embryos. It discusses differing viewpoints on whether the use of spare embryos from in vitro fertilization lacks respect for human life and whether the creation of embryos solely for research is morally permissible. Ultimately, the essay concludes that the use of cloning techniques to create human embryos solely for research is not morally permissible due to the significant ethical concerns and the need to preserve human life and dignity.

UNIVERSITY
Student Name
Unit
Argumentative Essay on cloning techniques to create human embryos
Unit
PHL260/CBMS807 BIOETHICS AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
Question Task 2

Argumentative Essay on cloning techniques to create human embryos 2
Introduction
Human cloning refers to the therapeutic cloning of embryonic cells with an aim of
obtaining transplant organs which can be used in the treatment of injured nerve cells and
other health-related functions. Human cloning refers to the general reproductive process of
cloning of somatic cell nuclear transfer in order to obtain eggs which could be used to
develop into adulthood phase. Human cloning has often been used to refer or to suggest for
improved genetic engineering through cloning of individuals. Biological definition entails
obtaining copies of biological identities, (Lew, 2018).
The human embryonic discovery of stem cells in humans has been one of the key
developments in the discovery of a biological environment. The medical arena has stimulated
interesting applications of stem cells. These applications involve genetic engineering, tissue
alterations and other techniques such as repair, maintenance, and organs replacements. There
are three conventions known the use of embryonic stems cells which include; usage of
embryonic stem cells lines, left embryos being unused in Vitro fertilization procedures and
creation of embryos created somatic cell nuclear transfer approaches, (de Wert, 2017).
The derivation of stem cells from known embryo stem cells lines has been a
controversial point of argument, from the spares embryos left out during the in vitro
fertilization processes. Stem cells obtained from embryos created from somatic cell nuclear
transfer has often raised major ethical objections and other moral underpinnings. The
question of where to perform human cloning for usage in biomedical research has raised
broad moral concerns. Further other conflicting information has been raised; such research
undertakings raising the critical importance of human knowledge on human embryogenic
development on gene action in cases where genetic abnormalities occur causing diseases.
Further, a significant promise is that such research undertakings could lead to emergences of
transplantable organs and tissues which could be effective in management ad reversible of

Argumentative Essay on cloning techniques to create human embryos 3
illness such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, spinal injury, and juvenile diabetes, (Ethics
Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2016).
On the other perspective, there is a feeling that such research involves deliberate
production, use, and destruction of human embryos and could be utilized for the production
of human being babies. This narrative complicates the moral underpinning on the likelihood
of delivering beneficial effects on the possibility of this research to be used to deliver
meaningful benefits yet presenting basic moral ethics principles. Human embryo cloning
further presents dangers of creating false hopes among the uses with the risk of end
assessment goodness to justify the moral principles. Moral concerns have been raised on the
usage of coning for biomedical research purposes. Other perspectives have shown positive
agreement on the on the fidelity and moral human aspirations of science and medicine and to
the communal moral aspirations. Both scientific and moral reasoning informs basic decisions
to undertake before initiating such practice, (Caplan, 2018).
Despite the general agreements, it is difficult to ascertain the best approach. There exist
various questions about the context of ethics considerations for cloning in biomedical
research. Firstly, weighing whether the decision to undertake to clone for children production
or in a different context of ethics of embryo and stem cell research. This issue has led to the
moral uprise among the public on cloning legislation policies.
The embryonic stems cells often used have been less controversial than obtaining spare
embryos from in vitro fertilization procedures. Stems cells obtained from stem cell research
through the somatic cell technique have often raised ethical questions. The proposition of this
research has often revolved around a source of embryo stem cell has been unaccepted. This
opinion is raised from the notion of stem cell have been created and saving lives is difficult
from this approach, (Schwartz et al., 2015). Other key sources of embryos have raised
questions on ethical issues on whether usage of spare human embryos means lack of respect

Argumentative Essay on cloning techniques to create human embryos 4
and whether the use of such embryos is morally accepted issue. The usage in somatic cell
nuclear technique has often raised a lot of questions on ethical underpinnings.
In a research poll conducted in the United States displayed a huge public controversy
on the issue and there is an existence of strong reservations on the destruction of embryos
(Nisbet, 2004). Such opposition has slowed down the stem cell progress and thus deprive
patients of the possible benefits of stem cell therapies. Thus the ethical concerns raised on
embryo stem cell research activities. The different positions regarding the issue of human
cloning are indepthly addressed in this paper with counter-argument based on the issue
highlighted.
Usage of human embryos means lack of respect for human life
Usage of spare embryos for research purposes entails treatment without a valid respect
to human life. When stem cell therapies become routine, human embryos often become a
source of therapeutic materials and its usage may mean achievement on the ends and decrease
for human life (Einsiedel et al., 2009). This poses a danger for devaluating human life
embryos at the beginning of their life’s, meaning policies will be initiated for sacrificing the
vulnerable persons for the benefit of others, (Sãvinescu, Dãnilã, Trandafirescu, & Cãruntu,
2011). This portrays a slippery action in that such acceptance entails further toleration of
other unaccepted actions. The incremental use of embryos can lead to significant increase in
tolerance of social life loss, which may necessitate to ending of life prematurely, further
leading to disabilities, (Hassan n.d).
Consideration of human embryo as a human being, the utilitarian arguments on the
benefit embryo stem cell may not offer the justification of unethical act and lead to ethical
perspective, (Tamkins, 2004). Further, even if embryo research is regarding as no wrong, the
emergence of clone farms, cloned babies and usage of the fetus for spares and the
modification of human life will take effect affecting the ethical underpinnings of human life,

Argumentative Essay on cloning techniques to create human embryos 5
(Hug, 2005).
Assessment by moral philosophers has argued that there exist moral difference on acts
and omissions between active killing and passively destruction emanating from destruction
from the causes. Even if the outcome is the same in all the cases, it is argued that it is worse
to bring destruction to self, (Fagan, 2013).
Other counter arguments have been portrayed regarding the usage of the embryo for
research with no harm intended to cause lack of respect for human beings. Arguments have
that, destruction of embryos do not undermine respect to human life in the society. The
destruction of the embryos and issues such as abortion have been long in practice and no
change of human life perspective has been taken into interest, (Banerjee, 2014).
Considerations of immoral sacrifice on embryos for the sake of treatment of diseases should
follow the same trends of immoral actions of sacrificing infertility, thus regarding an embryo
as a mere thing, do not offer any significance on the respect of human life. This offers
questions as to whether the embryos could be used for other purposes other than a human
being created.
Further spare embryos either donated for research practices or left to perish after
defrosting either after serving the purpose or after the expiry of the freezer time lapses. If the
result of the embryo can offer curative purposes for incurable diseases, then interests of those
suffering should be put at the center and spare embryos could be utilized for research other
than being wasted in the freezers, (Menasche, 2014).
Embryos used in research are morally unacceptable compared to the use of existing
embryos for research. Arguments on these sentiments have indicated that there is no moral
difference between intentions when the final result is the same. Spare embryos form the
initial reasoning for fertility treatment options thus giving chance for the development of
human beings. Research on spare embryos over the fertility treatments has been shown to be

Argumentative Essay on cloning techniques to create human embryos 6
morally acceptable. In both cases, there is always the destruction of, embryos and there is a
moral consensus that research embryos cannot be used in women. Creation of spare embryos
has been viewed as anon natural in the case of in vitro fertilization since they are produced in
natural pregnancies. Majority of these embryos gave to die thus enabling the sibling embryo
to mature into birth. Loss of embryos is a natural phenomenon in many pregnancies. Thus
spare embryo production in vitro fertilization as it occurs in sexual production and creation of
embryos in live child scenarios is accepted as a natural process and necessary. Production of
embryos for research purposes could signify therapeutic possibilities. Harvested stem cells
from surplus embryos in the research arena have focused on improving the chance of
matching the needs of future patients, (Masek, 2017).
Ethical issues related cloning techniques to create human embryos
Cloning techniques entail transferring adult nucleus from somatic cells to egg sites
without the inclusion of nucleus. Therapeutic cloning refers to the act of using patient nucleus
from the patient somatic cell if stimulation is undertaken using electricity; it transforms itself
to blastocyst stage which forms a similar genetic identity to the patient. Research trials
undertaken in South Korea have shown such a possibility, thus signifying the potential
success of the therapeutic cloning of human beings, (Tamkins, 2014).
The ethical reasoning of advances this progress entails, the rise of commercial entities
conducting research on embryos which leads to decreasing lowering on the intrinsic value of
human life. The danger f women exploitation is a perceived threat which affects moral
reasoning backgrounds. Production of stem cells which are not spares after processes of in
vitro fertilization poses moral ethics among the women population. In this processes of
therapist cloning, large numbers of oocytes could put pressure on women to offer egg
donations, which demeans acts of altruistic, (Tofoli et al., 2016). With this process, it is
unclear how the new practice will change and influence women status in the community. In

Argumentative Essay on cloning techniques to create human embryos 7
the case, women will be alienated from their reproductive labor process endangering their ova
as a means of achieving the means. The donors in this perspective for the eggs could be the
poor women among countries with less stringent regulations to curb exploitation thus raising
critical moral concerns. Women from less developed countries will likely be exploited in this
process since they don’t have active ethics committees or set guidelines, (Murano, 2018).
Conclusion
Key aspects make this research endeavor to be a challenge and controversial, with the
fact that the production, use and intentional damage of cloned human embryos remain vague.
In a determination of whether to use science or establish its limits remain unanswered. An
assessment on evaluating the possible benefits of the research can justify the potential human
costs. Other moral hazards for further digest entail address on the questions of development
of embryos and experimented beyond the blastocyst stage, possible women exploitation,
possible production of cloned human embryos to produce children and such research could
weaken and undermine the human society in general and thus overall undermining human
life. These myriad moral and ethical challenges signify the imminent struggle with this field
of research.
Thus, in essence, it is not morally permissible to use cloning techniques to create
human embryos that are solely intended for research due to the underlying moral and ethical
reasoning’s highlighted. There is a need for the preservation of human life and respect for
human beings rather than exploitation and misuse through commercialization.

Argumentative Essay on cloning techniques to create human embryos 8
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