Ethics and cloning

Scientists have cloned animals since the late 19th century, but the crucial step for ethics was the cloning of the first mammal by somatic cell nuclear transfer in 1997. This suggested that scientists could also clone, and possibly enhance, human beings.

This survey examines ethical literature on cloning since the 1960s.

The one ethical area of agreement in this issue is that we should not try to create new human beings by somatic cell nuclear transfer now.

Ethicists disagree, however, on what justifies this norm. Some appeal to preference satisfaction and freedom from external constraints, others question this approach by more profound religious and moral considerations.

The discussion is currently not progressing, as the same arguments have been in use since the 1970s.

Philosophers should prepare deeper analyses of the presuppositions of the ethical arguments used in the discussion before the issue surfaces again.