It is not often that we touch upon a subject that is still viewed as science fiction, even though there has been proof of successful cloning since 1997. Dolly the sheep was the first successfully cloned being. In 1999, we managed to clone the rhesus monkey, a species rather close to us humans, bringing about the topic of whether human cloning was possible and not just that, but also, whether it was ethical.
Cloning was frowned upon at the start, mostly because of the potential abuse and the ethical dilemma behind it.
However, is it all that bad? Here are the pros and cons of cloning.
The Pros
Cloning Can Save Entire Species
When things go bad for a species, and it gets endangered, almost extinct, cloning can be the way forward. Cloning an endangered species does not refresh its gene pool, but it does give the species more offspring, which can save it, in the end.
Cloning of Food – Ending Hunger
While we are wasteful with our food and we end up throwing out a lot more than we should, cloning could help in some areas. Cloning could help us with livestock and agriculture, by removing the bad genes and bad outcomes. This would bring us a step closer to higher quality food.
Cloning Can Save Human Lives
Cloning can help us save human lives. We do not need to clone entire humans, but we can clone specific organs that a human needs. We can also help parents who have trouble conceiving, finally have the child that they wanted.
The Cons
Not everything is bright in the world of cloning. There are many obstacles in its way.
It is a Young Science
With so many laws pressing down on cloning, it is a very young science and we cannot rely on it for everything. This is a paradox, of course. Yet, the reality is that cloning is still in its infancy and it is thus unreliable and not entirely safe.
There Are Many Doubts and Reservations About Cloning
The problem with cloning is that people don’t trust it. People have trouble accepting vaccines, so one could only imagine how difficult cloning would fit in. There is also a very high potential for abuse with cloning. Cloning requires us to use and exploit life, and one of the reasons behind that is that it is a very young science that we know very little about. The mistrust and possible abuse is a large obstacle in the development of cloning.
Cloning is not as easy as people think it is. Cloning is dangerous and could be unethical, though it could be the only way to preserve some species, bring better food to the table, create and save human lives. It could be the future.
