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Week 3 Assignment – Topic Selection and Discussion

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Week 3 Assignment – Topic Selection and Discussion

Moral Controversy: Cloning

The development of genetic engineering contributes to the realization of unexpected discoveries, one such discovery in genetic cloning. Recombinant DNA technology utilizes various procedures in cloning. The primary procedure involves linking different DNA fragments; one from a host organism and a vector creating recombinant DNA, and the introduction into a host organism; where the replication occurs (NHGRI, 2020). Cloning involves the creation of identical copies of an original organism with a similar genetic constitution. Various organisms have been cloned successfully, such as sheep and chickens. Accordingly, cloning procedures and products face some ethical and moral issues.

There are various ethical issues associated with cloning. The first ethical issue is the possibility of practical human cloning (Nerlich et al., 2000). The cloning of other organisms is beneficial in the agricultural sector, but human cloning is associated with ethical disputes. Additionally, religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds influence these ethical issues. In some religions, higher beings control new creations such as God among Christians. Therefore, cloning involves the creation of another person; thereby, it threatens their beliefs about God. Also, cloning for medical purposes that leads to the demise of the clone causes concern for the clone, creating ethical and moral issues.

The second ethical and moral issue is the safety of the cloning procedure (Hughes, 2015). Subsequently, errors might occur during the cloning process contributing to the termination of the clones. These clones are organisms that have life; terminating the lives of the embryos is a form of killing. Thus, this killing also goes against the moral standards set by religious and cultural beliefs.

In contrast, there are a couple of factors supporting cloning. The first support is the use of clones in medical research (NHGRI, 2020). Furthermore, the research might include genetic editing and the efficiency of medication testing. In genetic editing, defective genes are removed through cutting and replaced with preferred genes by joining the previous split ends. Consistently, a clone of an organism is created, and desired genes are harvested from the clone and used in medical procedures. Therefore, it aids in medical discoveries, genetic modification of organisms, and organ sources for transplanting.

The second support is the preservation of biodiversity (NHGRI, 2020). Species undergo extinction at one time or the other, as is the case with dinosaurs. Accordingly, creating clones preserves biodiversity due to the preservation of species. These clones can therefore restore species undergoing extinction, such as the white rhino. Thus it is a form of reassurance of survival past endangerment. Also, clones can be used as a source of food. The vegetables, meat, milk, or eggs produced by some genetically modified organisms are consumable and lack side effects. Additionally, most debates against cloning were based on misconceptions, and according to Nerlich et al. (2000), the cloning misconceptions’ beginnings were influenced by works of fiction at the time. Thus, the misconceptions were not created by facts but by ideologies influenced by day-to-day activities and imaginations. Therefore, despite the moral and ethical issues brought about by cloning, it represents significance in societies.

What would an Ethical Egoist say about this topic? What side would the Ethical Egoist take? What would the Ethical Egoist say to justify their moral position? Is there a conflict between loyalty to self and to community relevant to your topic? If so, how so? Note what you feel is the best course of action.

Ethical Egoism dictates that a person is morally obligated to act based on self-interest (Rachels & Rachels, 2019). Consequently, an individual’s obligations only comprise satisfying oneself without the consideration of others.  In contrast, help may be provided to others as long as the interests are aligned with oneself. Also, Ethical Egoism dictates that self-interest should be something beneficial in the long run. Subsequently, an Ethical Egoist would support most aspects of cloning, arguing that creating a child from clones is in the best interest of an infertile individual seeking to have children. Also, it is in the best interest of a dying person with heart failure to obtain a heart from a clone. In addition, the cloning of vegetables and animals aids all individuals by increasing food in the market; thereby, individuals cannot die of starvation, hence helping themselves by helping others. A conflict is created between loyalty to self and community because most communities’ cultural and religious beliefs are unsupportive of cloning. Therefore, supporting and taking part in cloning procedures goes against an individual’s community cultural and religious background. The best course of action is to provide more factual information about cloning to people in various communities to help clear some of the misconceptions surrounding cloning: and thus, help people to turn to cloning when need be.

What would a Social Contract Ethicist say about this topic? What side would the Social Contract Ethicist take? What would the Social Contract Ethicist say to justify their moral position? Does your topic involve a collision between personal obligations and national ones? If so, how so? Note what you feel is the best course of action.

A Social Contract Ethicist would say that cloning goes against the moral standards of society (Rachels & Rachels, 2019). Social Contract Ethics dictate that individuals are bound by the moral standards of their societies that other people follow. Subsequently, they follow what is already being followed by society to create and maintain harmony. A Social Contract Ethicist wouldn’t support cloning and would take a stand against it. The Social Contract Ethicist would justify their moral position by arguing that society’s moral standards do not support cloning due to religious and cultural backgrounds. Accordingly, people in societies are not expected to associate themselves with cloning procedures despite how much they need them. Cloning, in general, does not cause a collision between personal obligations and national ones, but human cloning causes a collision. Human cloning causes extensive debates due to the undervaluing of human lives associated with cloning. Moreover, the ease of termination and creation of human clones from embryos causes discrepancies in cloning ethics. The best course of action based on Social Contract ethics is not to participate in cloning procedures; however, educating people in various societies will aid in accepting cloning.

The National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) oversees the ethical conduct in cloning procedures and by cloning professionals. After that, various organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA) and Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC), presented their morality standards on cloning to the NBAC in 2003, when human cloning ethics were created (Eiseman, Ph.D., n.d.). Cloning only creates conflict when a professional’s family background is religious or cultural. In conclusion, cloning is a procedure that causes many controversies. Religious and cultural beliefs question its moral and ethical standards. Subsequently, views on cloning vary among individuals.

References

Eiseman, Ph.D., E. CLONING HUMAN BEINGS. Biotech.law.lsu.edu. Retrieved 20 July 2021, from https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/research/nbac/pubs/cloning2/cc3.pdf.

Hughes, S. (2015). The cloning controversy. Science, 349(6254), 1292-1293. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aac9095

Nerlich, B., Clarke, D., & Dingwall, R. (2000). Clones and Crops: The Use of Stock Characters and Word Play in Two Debates About Bioengineering. Metaphor And Symbol, 15(4), 223-239. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327868ms1504_4

NHGRI. (2020). Cloning Fact Sheet. Genome.gov. Retrieved 20 July 2021, from https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Cloning-Fact-Sheet.

Rachels, S., & Rachels, J. The elements of moral philosophy (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

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Question 

ETHC445N: Week 3 Assignment – Topic Selection and Discussion

Instructions

This assignment is the first step in a three part project. You only need to focus on part one at this point. Each step will build on earlier steps. However, it is not a matter of providing a rough draft of all or even part of the entire project here in week three. That is, further steps might require completely new and original text.  At the same time, completing each step will aid you in completing a future step or future steps. And, you should use the same topic in all steps.

Week 3 Assignment – Topic Selection and Discussion

First, select a topic of moral controversy, debate, disagreement, and dispute, Examples of such topics are euthanasia, the death penalty, abortion, cloning, etc. You can pick any such topic. It need not be listed here.

Next, detail the positions of each side of the ethical debate. Note at least two moral reasons each side presents to show their view on the topic is correct.

Now, we want to evaluate these positions using the moral theories we studied this week:

Finally, reference and discuss any professional code of ethics relevant to your topic such as the AMA code for doctors, the ANA code for nurses, or any other pertinent professional code. State whether and how your chosen topic involves any conflicts between professional and familial duties.

Cite the textbook and incorporate outside sources, including citations.

Writing Requirements (APA format)

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