The Ethical Implications of Embryonic Stem Cell Research essays

The Ethical Implications of Embryonic Stem Cell Research essays Technology seemingly never stops growing and changing. And why should it? Just as every human being changes with experience and age, so then do our creations. Unfortunately, it is in our collective nature as humans to be afraid of change. Change inevitably raises moral questions within us, removing us from the simplistic routine of daily life and placing us in the uncomfortable realm of controversy. When big changes happen, its as if a fellow human has just died it makes us re-evaluate our lives and the effect that such an event will have on them. Such is the case with embryonic stem cell research. Stem cell research, in and of itself, is not a new technology. Scientists and doctors have used adult stem cells for treatments on various blood diseases for years. No one is hurt in such a situation, and the Hippocratic oath is preserved. The issue of embryonic stem cell research is different, though. Embryonic stem cells are the very basis of human tissue, and therefore can replace almost any functional tissue in the human body, whereas adult stem cells are already grown and therefore cannot be given other tasks. Scientists remove the stem cells from embryonic tissue known as blastocysts, and as a result the embryo dies (Latham). Thus, the controversy - is this blastocyst, which, if allowed to continue growing, will become a normal human baby if in vitro fertilization is used, human at this point? If so, what is the difference between killing an embryo and killing a normal human? Not as simple an issue as it at first seemed, eh? Perhaps youre already noting the similarities between this and that other issue of playing God at birth, abortion. As such, theres two definite positions at play here, with the requisite grays in the middle too. Complicated and somewhat vague conjecture regarding exactly when humans get souls has arisen, as well as the basic questions. Is the child a li...