This blog post examines the possibility of human cloning technology providing medical benefits, the ethical controversy that follows, and the issue of infringement of human dignity.
As society developed and science and technology advanced, people naturally made ethical progress. This change was not simply the result of technological progress, but also the result of deep reflection on human dignity and the value of life. Even now, the most important consideration in many scientific and technological research projects is the dignity of human beings and the importance of the value of life. These ethical considerations should not be mere ideals, but should become essential criteria for scientific research and experimentation. In the past, ethical issues were often overlooked in the pursuit of scientific progress, but today people recognize that ethics and science are not in a conflicting relationship, but rather a complementary relationship.
For example, in research related to human life, ethical aspects were neglected in the past, but in modern times, research itself becomes impossible if ethical standards are not strictly followed. This means that science and technology are not simply developing, but that how well human dignity can be protected in the process of development has become more important. As a result, there is a growing concern about whether to look at the benefits of scientific and technological development and conduct research or focus on ethical aspects. In other words, the conflict between scientific and ethical judgment has become inevitable.
One such example is cloning research. When it comes to cloning, Dolly the sheep is probably the first thing that comes to mind. In July 1996, Dolly, the world’s first cloned animal, shocked the scientific community after numerous attempts. Those who witnessed the success of this research must have felt both a great sense of anticipation and a fear that the completion of human cloning technology was not far off. If you add the word “human” to the word “cloning,” which refers to the creation of an individual genetically identical to another individual, most people would express their opposition from a bioethical perspective. This is because there are many concerns about the risk of violating human dignity. Is research on human cloning really more of a disadvantage than an advantage for us? Should human cloning research not be attempted?
How can human cloning research be used? What benefits will it bring to humanity and what advancements will it bring? First of all, human cloning research is not limited to reproductive cloning, which involves the complete cloning and production of an individual. There is also research on therapeutic cloning, which involves the same principle but uses embryo cloning to obtain embryonic stem cells. Such research can be positively evaluated in that it can provide practical benefits such as disease treatment.
The period from the fertilization of the sperm and egg to the implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus is called the embryo stage. The mass of cells from the fertilized egg after 4 to 5 days is removed to create conditions for repeated division. After cloning a sufficient amount of embryos, they are induced to differentiate into muscle or nerve cells. Alternatively, organs cultured using this principle, such as the somatic cell nuclear replacement method using the patient’s somatic cells, can contribute to the treatment of incurable diseases and the extension of human life. For example, it will bring new medical advances that can save people suffering from currently incurable diseases.
However, we must not overlook the ethical issues that such technological advancements will bring. Are babies born through human cloning technology not born, but created? Are babies born through human cloning technology not autonomous moral agents, but produced for the purpose of others and considered as tools? Questions like these make us think about where to place the ethical limits of human cloning technology.
First, there are many couples who still need assisted reproductive technology, so I don’t think we need to worry much about the first question. Just because they are cloned, we don’t need to treat them differently from other beings. I don’t think it is right to perceive cloned beings only as beings that meet our needs. If human cloning is achieved, there is a risk that the individuality of humans will disappear and their uniqueness will be threatened. It would be good to think of identical twins. They have the same genetic information as if they were cloned. Does that mean that we can ignore the individuality and uniqueness of each twin with the same appearance? I think environmental influences are more important in this regard. Even if twins raised in different environments look the same, they have completely different personalities and thoughts.
Of course, the existence of cloned individuals should be recognized as an object to be used as a means, and cloning research conducted for profit should be prohibited. I believe that human cloning technology will be able to achieve success that is more beneficial to us than harmful if only legal and social rules are established to prevent the abuse of cloning technology. Our society has already established various ethical standards and legal sanctions for the development of science and technology. For example, there are legal sanctions and ethical discussions related to artificial intelligence and gene editing technology. Human cloning technology will also be able to clarify its boundaries through social consensus.
Let’s look back at our human history. The increase in new empirical knowledge and numerous developments have brought about changes in humans. The same is true for ethics. Just as ethical awareness has increased over time, the possibility of cloning research will open up new understandings of humans and the resulting sanctions and ethics. And these ethical standards will not simply hold back science and technology, but will serve to guide technology in a direction that will bring true benefits to humanity.
People fear the unknown. Negative sentiment is widespread because the future brought by human cloning research is still uncertain, but rejecting it unconditionally is not the answer. Scientific progress is sometimes revolutionary. Human cloning research, which may involve numerous risks, may also achieve success that will bring about tremendous change after a precarious tightrope walk. However, if such success is achieved without considering the ethical foundation, the end may be a tragedy for humanity. Therefore, it is more important than anything else to seek a path where science and ethics go hand in hand.
