MolecularMan14 Posted November 5, 2004 Share Posted November 5, 2004 I am now taking part in a class debate on stem cell research. The current resolution is "The USF(ederal)G(ovt) should increase its funding support of stem cell research. the stem cell debate has gone on for years, but what of the recent CA decision- with the $3 billion over 10 yrs? We offer therapeutic cloning as a method of gathering cells, but what of the moral imperative? When does something become "Living", when does it begin to breathe, when does it begin to think, when can it do something on its own, when does its heart begin to beat, when can it survive in vitro, on its own?? There are plently of things we can argue, but what would work against the moral situations? Please, discuss the topic, whether you're for, or against it; any opinions and resources are greatly appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 I have no real sense of what's happening in the USA regarding stem cell research...and even here in the UK I'm not sure of the regulations because my area of research does not encompass this issue. What I will say is this....if stem cells can be harvested from an EMBRYO (note: EMBRYO) which is at the pre-implantation stage then I see no problem with this. I totally hate the way pro-life activists refer to a ball of 4/8/16 cells as a "life" ....it's a ball of cells for Pete's sake....no mystery. I'm a firm believer in stem cell research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolecularMan14 Posted November 15, 2004 Author Share Posted November 15, 2004 Does anyone know of some data stating how much private funding stem cell research has recieved in the past? Or an arguement stating that the private funding is not enough for the advancement of stem cell research? Any help is appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadn Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Does anyone know of some data stating how much private funding stem cell research has recieved in the past? http://www.forbes.com/newsletter/2004/11/01/cz_sg_1101soapbox.html From 1994 to 2004 its been about $300 million total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geode Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 MolecularMan14 wrote:...what of the moral imperative? Indeed, what of the moral imperative? Should the unnecessary suffering of millions be allowed to continue because millions of others don't approve whole-heartedly of a process few of them understand to begin with? The argument that this is 'baby killing' is specious at best. A baby is someone who can live independently if removed from the womb, if the one still requires a lot of support. A fetus (where the cells would be coming from) cannot. Feti are aborted daily in this country, anyway. It's legal. It's therefore not 'murder' by reason of legal definition. Geode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geode Posted November 18, 2004 Share Posted November 18, 2004 MolecularMan14 wrote:...what of the moral imperative? Indeed, what of the moral imperative? Should the unnecessary suffering of millions be allowed to continue because millions of others don't approve whole-heartedly of a process few of them understand to begin with? The argument that this is 'baby killing' is specious at best. A baby is someone who can live independently if removed from the womb, if the one still requires a lot of support. A fetus (where the cells would be coming from) cannot. Feti are aborted daily in this country, anyway. It's legal. It's therefore not 'murder' by reason of legal definition. Geode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolecularMan14 Posted November 18, 2004 Author Share Posted November 18, 2004 hah! PERFECT!! Thank you much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolecularMan14 Posted November 18, 2004 Author Share Posted November 18, 2004 hah! PERFECT!! Thank you much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auk Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 I believe it is murder. At what stage is the fetus able to really think of pain and suffer from the abortion is the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolecularMan14 Posted December 18, 2004 Author Share Posted December 18, 2004 at what stage can a group of cells become self-aware? At that point, they become conscious, and could do something willingly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auk Posted December 18, 2004 Share Posted December 18, 2004 Although that is very hard to tell I believe it is quite early since we can see that a stressed out mother can affect the baby at an early age. By the way shouldn't this topic be in the Biomedical Ethics section? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kygron Posted December 18, 2004 Share Posted December 18, 2004 Reguardless of whether or not it IS life, is the fact that it most likely WILL BE life of any importance? Once the decision has been made to create life I'm not sure that the body has an equivalent natural method to stop the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolecularMan14 Posted December 18, 2004 Author Share Posted December 18, 2004 shouldn't this topic be in the Biomedical Ethics section? yep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auk Posted December 18, 2004 Share Posted December 18, 2004 Reguardless of whether or not it IS life, is the fact that it most likely WILL BE life of any importance? Once the decision has been made to create life I'm not sure that the body has an equivalent natural method to stop the process. Hey that's great, I never thought of it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecoli Posted December 18, 2004 Share Posted December 18, 2004 Indeed, what of the moral imperative? Should the unnecessary suffering of millions be allowed to continue because millions of others don't approve whole-heartedly of a process few of them understand to begin with? Well said Geode. I think a big problem with the majority of people who are against stem-cell research do not understand how it works. Thats partly their own fault, partly the media. The media wants to scare people, so they portray the message that scienctists are taking embryoes and turining them into body parts. Which is obviously not the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdurg Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 I fully support stem-cell research. I am a Type 1 (IDDM) Diabetic and my ONLY hope for a cure is to figure out how to regenerate the islet-beta cells in my pancreas through stem-cell research. It sickens me when I hear protesters, and people who don't even know me, say that I should not be allowed to get a cure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingpin1989 Posted December 19, 2004 Share Posted December 19, 2004 I believe that Stem cell research has a line across it designating what is or isn't moral. I firmly believe that to completely clone a person is not moral. However, if the embryo from which the cells are taken reaches the point where it develops a certain kind of cell (bone/tissue/muscle) instead of multi-use ones, it should be considered to be a living organism from whom it is immoral to copy cells. Just a suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolecularMan14 Posted December 19, 2004 Author Share Posted December 19, 2004 Im a supporter of therapeutic cloning, where the pre-embyo never reaches above 10 cells, and as more develop, more are extracted. I honestly dont feel that at the point of 10 cells, the organism can be classified as conscious. But the point at which it becomes immoral (i feel) is when embryos are deliberately destroyed for the science, rather than them being donated for the science (basically, when people are forced to abort in order to supplement studies)-when life is destroyed ONLY for the research. Like Geode said, abortion is legal at this point and how immoral is it, after abortion, to submit the cells to the good of humanity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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