Cloning: The New Trend of the Century?

"Any discovery that touches upon human creation is not simply a matter of scientific inquiry, it is a matter of morality and spirituality as well...Each human life is unique, born of a miracle that reaches beyond laboratory science...". This was printed on March 10, 1997 in Time Magazine in an article dealing with the controversial subject of cloning. Cloning is the production of one or more individual plants or animals that are genetically identical to another plant or animal. Two very different procedures have been referred to as "cloning": Embryo cloning and Adult DNA cloning ("Cloning"). Religious and political affiliations lead the fight against Adult DNA cloning because of the ethical issues involved with this type of technology. Cloning will hinder the development of society into the next millennium.

Cloning creates several controversial issues in society. A major issue associated with cloning is the exponential increase in population each year. By 2024, the projected population of eleven billion, triples the world population today. Scientists already estimate that in 2024 production output by humans must triple in order to provide for eleven billion people and this figure does not include the faction of cloned individuals (Bohart 1). Cloning will increase the population immensely, but this is not the only issue cloning creates in society.

Advancing technology continues to divide society on moral issues. The general public’s opinion on cloning began to split when Kyeonghee University in Korea successfully cloned a human on December 14, 1998 ("Ethical"). Many people believe that the benefits of cloning outweigh the negatives. These benefits come in the form of medical advances like, the use of cloned human embryos in research into genetics and genetically related diseases, and their treatments or preventions ("Ethical"). However, continuing research into cloning will only divide society and begin an uproarious argument involving ethics.

Most scientists admit that large scale cloning depletes genetic diversity. The citizens of the world may eventually end up looking identical to each other. Our society thrives on individuality and diversity. Every person creates their own personality based on their culture and background, eliminating this important aspect of human life hinders progress in society. Cloning also affects emotional relationships greatly. For example, a child born from adult DNA cloning from his father would be, in effect, a delayed twin of one of his parents ("Cloning"). This totally eliminates attachment to family and depletes the true sense of a wholesome upbringing.

Cloning may be a major technological advance, but it has potential to slow the growth of mankind. The negatives definitely outweigh the positives on this controversial topic. Too many ethical issues arise due to this technology such as individuality and diversity. Moral issues just represent half of the problem. The population growth rising at an uncontrollable rate and a split nation represent the other half. All of these issues support the fact that cloning will only stand in the way of a world that keeps improving.

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