Antoine

TOPIC: Cloning

KNOWLEDGE ISSUE: To what extent does our ethical background affect our opinion on human cloning?

KI AND THE TOPIC: There is a widespread moral opposition to cloning around the world however it has been found that different religions and cultures do not all see cloning as a negative act or if they do, do not see it as a negative act for the same reasons.

PERSPECTIVES: - Religious groups (especially the Catholic church) oppose the idea of cloning as they see the right to create life as being God’s privilege. - Republican politicians in the USA are also opposed to the idea of cloning. - Muslims are opposed to cloning - Jews are not opposed to cloning as they see technology as being a part of the human evolution.

SUPPORTING QUOTES: "The Jewish faith generally welcomes new technologies and sciences in as much as they can benefit the world, especially medicine. We do not necessarily perceive all advances as stepping on God's toes," "Thinking about cloning ought to require traditions to go back and think through basic tenets, such as does life really begin at conception," "Some traditions and leading figures in conservative Protestantism who were opposed to human cloning for reproductive reasons have come to see that given the ambiguity about their own views about the status of embryonic life, and given the potential for health benefits, they could be opposed to reproductive cloning, but affirm therapeutic cloning ," "For Christians, to bring into being a new human or animal life by cloning as opposed to normal sexual reproduction is to 'play God' and usurp the power of the creator. This is not a problem for Buddhism, because in Buddhism the creation of new life is not seen as a 'gift from God,'" Keown said in a recent paper. "For this reason the technique in itself would not be seen as problematic." "Anything new, just as a reaction, they oppose it," (when referring to Muslims)

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Sullivan, Bob. "Religious Views of Cloning Do Not Agree." //Contemporary Issues Companion: Cloning//. Ed. Sylvia Engdahl. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center//. Gale. Dulwich College Shanghai. 1 Feb. 2010 . Ham, Shane. "Therapeutic Cloning of Human Embryos Should Be Tolerated." //At Issue: Human Embryo Experimentation//. Ed. David Haugen and Susan Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. //Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center//. Gale. Dulwich College Shanghai. 1 Feb. 2010 .