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Cloning Notes

Cloning Defined

  • Cloning is explained through the blueprint metaphor, drawing parallels between various biological entities.

    • Applications of cloning include:

    • Plants

    • Animals

    • Tissues

    • Organs

    • Whole organisms (e.g., animal husbandry)

Current View on Cloning

  • Regarding ethical perspectives on cloning:

    • Cloning in humans/persons is viewed as impermissible.

    • Cloning in non-human animals and plants may be permissible depending on specific circumstances.

Key Concepts Related to Cloning

Genetic Determinism

  • Definition: The idea that genes determine physical and behavioral traits.

  • Controversy

    • This concept is debated extensively in the context of evolutionary psychology and other fields.

    • Its implications extend to eugenics.

Eugenics

  • Definition: A set of beliefs and practices aimed at improving the genetic quality of a human population.

  • Controversy

    • Historical context of eugenics raises ethical concerns and discussions about implications of genetic intervention.

    • Comparison is made with animal husbandry practices.

Blank Slatism vs. Biology

  • The debate of nurture vs. nature involves:

    • Blank slatism: the belief that individuals are born without built-in mental content.

    • Biological determinism: the notion that genetics is the primary influence on human behavior.

Landmark Legal Cases

SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) Case

  • Oliver W. Holmes remarks on the nature of legal responsibility in the context of cloning and genetic intervention.

Normative Theories in Cloning

Kantian Analysis

  • The analysis revolves around the concepts of ends and means:

    • Autonomy: Respect for individual agency must be upheld.

Utilitarian Analysis

  • Focuses on cost-benefit analysis:

    • Evaluates the outcomes of cloning in terms of overall happiness or welfare.

    • Issues of moral climate change and the value of human life are central to this discussion.

Cultural and Philosophical References

Influences from Media

  • Movies, video games, and literature often explore themes of cloning and its ethical implications.

Euthanasia

  • Related to cloning discussions, particularly within the scope of Natural Law Theory (NLT).

Natural Law Theory (NLT)

  • Definition: A philosophy asserting that certain rights and values are inherent in human nature.

  • Distinction between essentialism vs. blank slate

    • Teleological view: the belief that nature has inherent purposes that dictate moral good or bad.

    • The discussion includes the distinction between what is “natural” vs. “unnatural” and “normal vs. abnormal.”

    • Problems with these distinctions arise, informing both religious and secular perspectives of NLT.

Example Discussed: Procreation

  • Exploration of the purpose or goal of human existence in relation to cloning.

Cloning as Technology

  • Cloning should be viewed as morally neutral technology.

  • Arguments presented for cloning include reproductive rights and the concept of meliorism, which focuses on making society better.

Arguments Against Cloning

  1. Repugnance (the “yuck” argument):

    • Explores the emotional aversion to cloning practices.

    1. Identity Issues:

    • Cloning may disrupt traditional categories of kinship.

    • Concerns arise around identity for individuals born through cloning.

    1. Property Arguments:

    • The view of a child as property raises significant ethical concerns regarding commodification (with Kant's perspective).

    1. Eugenics Argument:

    • Risks of promoting eugenics in the cloning discourse lead to slippery slope concerns.

Ethical Considerations in Cloning

Can Implies Should?

  • Discussion on the burden of proof in ethical arguments surrounding cloning.

  • Burden of proof (BOP) argument forms and their role in determining the default ethical position.

Present Moral Status of Cloning

  1. Cloning Mindless Human Organisms:

    • Purpose linked to pain, personhood, and moral status.

    • Rejected property rights analysis as a basis for cloning.

  2. Defense of Cloning:

    • Cases such as irreversible severe brain damage present arguments for justifiable killing.

    • Utilitarian analysis emphasizes absence of pain with potential huge benefits from cloning.

    • Discussions about souls are rejected based on the definitive argument that brain damage outweighs spiritual considerations.

    • Ockam’s razor and redundancy are mentioned concerning unnecessary complications in arguments.

Cloning Persons

Arguments for Cloning

  1. Knowledge Application:

    • Knowledge of psychology, child-rearing, and trait production.

  2. Cloning Useful Individuals:

    • The potential to clone individuals with valuable skills or traits (e.g., scientists).

  3. Health Improvements:

    • Cloning can lead to improved health outcomes and saving lives, especially in offspring with inherited diseases.

  4. Designer Children:

    • Cloning raises questions about the ethics of creating 'designer children' to address infertility issues.

Objections to Cloning

  1. Ghoulish Nature:

    • The ethical argument against cloning based on its perceived grotesqueness is noted, although counter-arguments exist.

  2. Slippery Slope Fallacy:

    • Concerns about societal implications lead to fears of potential abuses following cloning normalization.

  3. Psychological Distress for Clones:

    • Potential irrational fears regarding clones’ identities and psychological well-being.

  4. Open Future Argument:

    • Defined but rejected notion suggesting cloning compromises the openness of future choices for the clone, asserting genetic determinism is false, and valuable information can still be imparted to the clone.