Very Brief Comments about Cloning

Joe Lau
Department of Philosophy
The University of Hong Kong
10 December 1997

General Methodological Remarks

In dealing with a moral question or a problem, we should identify carefully :

1. What is the question or the problem we are dealing with (e.g. should animals be used for food?)
2. What are the relevant facts? (e.g. do animals feel pain?)
3. What are the relevant moral principles? (e.g. nothing that can feel pain should be used for food.)

Moral Questions about Cloning

Should cloning be allowed?

• Should we allow research into cloning? What restrictions, if any, should be imposed?
• Should cloning technology be available for other non-research purposes?

The Scientific Facts

1. Cloning an individual organism vs. Genetic cloning
   • Cloning is not "photocopying" an organism
   • Natural cloning exists in identical twins
   • Many physical and psychological features are not determined by the genetic makeup.
2. What is significant about Ian Wilmut's research
   • Before : use only fresh embryonic cells
   • Wilmut : older embryonic cells, fetal tissue, cells from an adult animal
3. Some remaining questions
   • Can all cells be used?
   • Can human cells be used?
   • How will the cloned organism age?

Applying Moral Principles

1. The Harm Principle
   • No action should be prohibited unless it produces harm.
   • This is not very precise : what is harm? what if the only way to reduce harm is to harm someone?
2. Should we allow research into (human, animal) cloning?
   • As far as research ethics is concerned, human cloning raises the same issue as research using embryos.
   • Embryos before a certain stage of development are bodily tissues and not organisms.
   • Research which does not go beyond such a stage should be allowed.
3. How about the use of cloning technology?
   • Possible uses : to avoid certain genetic defects, to select for certain traits, to create an individual to use his or her bone marrow for transplant, single parenthood, homosexual parenthood, etc..
   • No single simple answer, but :
     1. Considerations involve balance of pros and cons.
     2. Should avoid double standards where possible.