ARW Winter Class Notes - 12/16 W

Following an introduction of recent news of how China is officially allowing human cloning research for stem cell therapies to proceed, we confirmed the process of how human cloning would work, and then watched a video where Dr. Silver argued that the only concern should be technical safety.

After group discussion and reports, I felt some of the most interesting questions discussed by students were:

1. What are the possible benefits of human cloning? (Being able to have a genetically connected child, harvesting organs?, avoiding genetic diseases by cloning healthy persons etc.)
   
2. Why do people fear clones? (Misperceptions that they are "different" somehow etc.)
   
3. What are the main problems or issues that may come about as a result of allowing human cloning for reproductive or organ therapy purposes? (identity, cloning for business etc.
   
4. If you were unable to have a child, and had a choice between cloning, adoption, surrogacy, and remaining childless, which would you take?

Personally, regarding No.4, I think I would choose adoption. However, if some people feel that cloning is the best choice, it should be available to them.