Canavan 1

Reed Canavan
Ms. Gardner
English 10H/Period 4
10 May 2016
Engineering Mankinds Future: Human Cloning
Would you like a child who is genetically superior to yourself and free from diseases?
Most people would not, providing the research to discover how to improve people comes from
human cloning. The vast majority of the public thinks human cloning is unethical and should be
banned. This negative view is led by pop culture putting a bad light on human cloning, even
though it would be used to cure people from hereditary diseases. Many politicians want to ban
human cloning completely, even though there are harsh restrictions on this type of research
currently. Human cloning, if legalized, could enhance and diversify society, allow people to
become genetically superior to what they were previously, and would permit medical research to
progress.
Arguably, human cloning should be illegal because it might be considered unethical and
playing God. Many opposed to human cloning are pro-life, because they believe human life, no
matter what form, has an innate value that prevents others from objectifying it (Arnold). While
it is true that many of the animals that have been cloned so far suffer from genetic defects
(Pelzer), the technology of cloning will only improve. People in opposition of human cloning
believe that embryos should not be experimented with and that it is immoral. Although
considered unethical, human cloning can help make huge advancements in genetics and medical
research.

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On a basic level, human cloning means one could clone someone who is dead, essentially
bringing them back to life. Human cloning in reality isnt like how human cloning is portrayed in
the media, a clone would be born and have different experiences. It is similar to identical twins, a
clone would look exactly the same, but could have a completely unique personality. Parents
who lose their children in accidents may be able to clone their copies to replace them within 50
years, a British scientist who won this year's Nobel Prize for medicine has claimed (Gurdon).
An interesting idea considering human cloning was suggested by Harvard geneticist George
Church; Neanderthals could be brought back from extinction through human cloning, which
might have benefits. Neanderthals might think differently than we do. We know that they had a
larger cranial size. They could even be more intelligent than us (Church). Another technology
that the de-extinction of a Neanderthal would require is human cloning (Church). By cloning
the remains of a Neanderthal or any other human species, we could essentially bring some of
them back into existence, which could have benefits. For example, because a Neanderthal could
have a different way of viewing the world, a Neanderthal might be able to find answers to
problems that we can barely comprehend. And while it does sound frightening to have
cavemen living in our society, they wouldnt look extremely different and would need human
DNA to fill in any gaps in their DNA sequence. Parents who lose their children could clone
them, like some people do today with pets, we could bring an entire species out of extinction,
and even celebrities and royalty could be brought back in a sense. Society would be radically
changed if this was a reality, and while this future is distant, it must be considered as human
cloning becomes more prevalent in the present day.
By genetically modifying humans, we could make humans more intelligent, immune to
more diseases, and design our babies to look how we want. One of the only ways to research

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how to genetically modify humans is through cloning, but genetic modification itself has
countless possibilities. The main point to genetically modifying humans would be to prevent
diseases, both hereditary and non-hereditary. However the same technology that can be
deployed to eliminate hereditary diseases can undoubtedly be used to try to build genetically
enhanced children, leading to the promise of taller, smarter, healthier, cuter, stronger, and more
loving children (Caplan). A parent could be able to choose height, hair color, eye color, any
physical traits, and even personality and intelligence are possibilities of genetic modifications.
Parents could design their child to have the parents desired appearance, which would obliterate
any significance of race, as skin tone could be easily manipulated. However, tension might be
created between the genetically modified and the natural. Conflict between these two groups
might very well be the next major class conflict. This problem distant is irrelevant in the present
as pressure from parents seeking to prevent their children and grandchildren from suffering will
undoubtedly overwhelm concerns about the possibility that others will use the same technology
to attempt to build superkids - and rightly so (Caplan). Knowing this, we could decide to change
the children of the future, in appearance, health, and even in intelligence. It would be selfinvoked evolution, making ourselves better and more prepared for the future.
Human cloning for medical purposes allows the use of stem cells, which could be the key
to curing many diseases, hereditary or not. For medical purposes cloning would only involve
cloned embryos. Scientists mean to use these cells to further the research into several diseases
such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and diabetes (Arnold). These are all hereditary diseases which
have no cure, but with stem cell research, it could be possible. However, the most effective way
of obtaining stem cells is from embryos, and it is much easier and safer to use cloned embryos
than removing them from the womb. Medical researchers say it [a ban on human cloning]

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would cripple the growing amount of legitimate stem-cell research taking place in the state
(Pelzer). There are already many bans on the human cloning, and because of this scientists have
to use stem cells from adults, which are more difficult to acquire, and arent as useful. Adult
stem cells may not be as versatile and durable as are embryonic stem cells (Mayo). Stem cells
are much easier to attain when human embryos are created to serve as raw materials for the
production of biomedical research supplies (SIRS) but the law restricts this research. Stem
cells present the greatest opportunity for medical advancement right now, so it is the medical
researcher's duty to explore them (Arnold). Stem cells could be used in such a variety of
positive ways, including elimination of hereditary diseases such as diabetes, which is a growing
problem. Human cloning for stem cells is much different from reproductive cloning, where a
clone is placed inside of a womb and allowed to mature and eventually be born, while cloning
for stem cells involves a simple embryo in a laboratory. The main reason clones are useful to this
is because it makes it much easier to have embryonic stem cells, when they are needed, scientists
can simply clone more, rather than have to extract embryos from mothers. Yet most people are
against a practice that could save millions of lives; human cloning.
With human cloning, humanity could learn how free itself from many diseases, and
develop children who have a better chance in the world. People could change their children to
look however they wish, many diseases could be eradicated, and people lost in accidents could
be brought back from the dead in a way, even another species of humans could be revived.
Wouldnt you like to live in a society without hereditary disease and where people look just the
way they were intended?

Works Cited

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Arnold, Eileen. "Cloning Embryos: Scientific Milestone or Moral Offense?." University Wire. 29
Apr. 2015: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 06 May 2016.
Bethge, Philip, and Johann Grolle. "Q&A: Can Neanderthals Be Brought Back From the Dead?."
Toronto Star. 02 Feb. 2013: p. WD.3. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 06 May 2016.
Caplan, Arthur. "Engineering the Better Baby: Benefits and Dangers." Himalayan Times. 14 Dec.
2015: n/a. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 06 May 2016.
"Human Cloning Could Happen Within 50 years, Says Nobel Prize..." Asian News International. 19
Dec. 2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 06 May 2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Stem Cell Transplant." Stem Cells: What They Are and What They Do. Mayo
Clinic, 23 Mar. 2013. Web. 10 May 2016.
Pelzer, Jeremy. "Lawmakers Try Again to Ban Human Cloning, Human-Animal Hybrids."
Cincinnati Enquirer. 08 Dec. 2013: p. 6. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 06 May 2016.
"Pros and Cons of Human Cloning - HRFnd." HRFnd. Heath Research Funding, 06 Dec. 2013. Web.
10 May 2016.