HUMAN CLONING

"We've had cloning in the south for years. It's called cousins."- Robin Williams

Untitled Slide

What do you know about cloning?

My thesis states that, cloning can be detrimental because of the uncertainty of science and technology, the loss of genetic diversity and the possibility of extinction of a particular species. Though... Cloning could also be beneficial.

HOW IS THIS BENEFICIAL?

• Dr. Richard Seed, one of the leading proponents of human cloning technology, suggests that it may someday be possible to reverse the aging process.
• Cloning could also reverse heart attacks by cloning their healthy heart cells and injecting them into areas in which it is damaged.
• Human cloning technology is advancing everyday, and scientists are developing new ways to use this medical phenomenon.

SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND CLONING FOR THESE FOLLOWING THINGS HELPFUL:

• Replacing weak organs
• Infertility
• Plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery
• Defective genes
• Down's Syndrome
• Tay-Sachs disease
• Liver, kidney failure
• Leukemia
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Spinal cord injury
• Any and all cancer

HOW COULD THIS BE A DETRIMENT?

• Naturally occurring gene mutations are beneficial and were discovered in 1910 by Thomas Hunt. Clones would cause this diversity to be lost because of gene alterations of the genotype composition.
• When gene diversity is lost, the population can be subjected to diseases.(most cases genetic diseases)
• Gene diversity is what keeps an entire population from being "wiped out" by a singular pathogen.
• When cloned, an organism has identical genes and is at high risk to acquire recessive diseases from BOTH parents.(about 15,000 genetic diseases)
• Because of identical genotypes in cloned individuals, inbreeding is very likely to occur.

MOVIE CLONING VS. REAL SCIENCE

• In movies, cloning is this thing that mad scientists do to make identical doppelgängers of whomever they choose, for whatever nefarious purposes they like.
• Movies always point out that cloning is the twisted and evil version of the original.
• Clones don't require artificial wombs.
• Making copies will result into armies of mindless drones subject to their every whim.
• Creating "the ultimate human".
• Rapid aging. The clone is born and somehow in a matter of hours or days the clone becomes full-grown.

SOME MOVIES INCLUDE:

• Austin Powers(Mini-Me and Dr. Evil)
• Star Wars: Attack of The Clones
• The 6th Day
• The Clones of Bruce Lee
• Alien: Resirrection
• Moon
• Resident Evil: Extinction

Cloning could advance future medical practices, yet their still could be harmful setbacks to the scientific phenomenon.

Which side do you think is more ethical to you?