The ethics of therapeutic and reproductive human cloning.
Neither therapeutic cloning nor reproductive cloning necessarily pose insurmountable ethical obstacles. Two defences of therapeutic cloning are considered. The first defence, the argument from property, is rejected because it entails morally counter-intuitive consequences. We should prefer a 'balance of reasons' defence which leaves room for the view that human life has intrinsic value. Reproductive cloning is best defended by an appeal to the right to procreative autonomy. The sorts of harms it is feared clones will suffer are also suffered by children conceived through natural means, even when these harms were preventable. The right to reproductive autonomy disallows state control of any form of reproduction for the reasons of child welfare discussed.
Burley
J
J
The Queen's College, Oxford, OX1 4AW, UK.
D019976:Cloning, Organism / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005610:Freedom; D006801:Humans; D019369:Life; D009014:Morals; D011287:Prejudice; D012098:Reproduction