Is Cloning Playing God?

Is Cloning Playing God? Imagine sitting down, all of the sudden, you look to your left, and what do you see. Yourself, as a seven-year-old child, but wait a minute, you are 30 years of age. This child is genetically identical to you, however, his parents are not yours; and although you see many similarities, this child is acting in a way you have never acted. This child as you can see knows more about technology than you did at that age. Why? The answers is simple, this seven-year-old child is growing in a different era an era where technology is necessary. So is this child really your clone or? This child has a different set of parents than you, yet this child does not have one single gene from them. Is it cloning a human being playing God? Scientists have been experimenting with cloning for at least forty years; however, it was not until February 24, 1997 and the news of the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep from mammary cells of an adult sheep, that reaction emerged from around the world. Now a day, we have heard of other animals, such as sheep, mice, cows, pigs, goats, dogs, and cats, as well as other things have been cloned with no condemnation. Conversely, the possibility of human cloning is for most an abomination. The idea of cloning humans has created a mixed of emotions, including confusion in society. Cloning for most of the people, means changing the history of humanity. Even though, Ian William, the Scotland scientist that cloned the sheep, agree to never clone humans, thirty hours after the news of Dolly circle the world, a bill was passed in New York by Legislator, John Marchi, to make human cloning illegal. Furthermore, other scientists, physicians, conservative ministers, and rabbis joined the Thou Shalt Not Clone Humans movement; and among the reasons to banned cloning were the human rights to have a set of biological parents (Pence 23). Almost globally but mostly in the USA and Europe there is a devastating agreement, stating that human cloning is unethical; therefore, it should be prohibited by law. On the other hand, there is not a clear explanation or reasons to explain as to why cloning breaks societys basic moral principles. Answering the how clones are created question can shed a light and might provide a reason in favor or against it. In early 1970s, the breakthrough in medical ethics (bioethics) has attracted many philosophers because it seems to help answer questions about the beginning and end of life, which is something that philosophers have continually thought about. Modern science and technology continue to raise new questions of morality, death, and new ways of reproducing the human kind. On the other hand, philosophy is about questioning assumptions. The status quo has dictated that is unthinkable to clone humans. To which philosophy responds: Unthinkable? Let us think about that (Pence 35) . Creating a human through cloning is very different from creating humans through in vitro or IVF (under glass fertilization). Cloning is considered asexual reproduction because unlike the other two methods mentioned where an individual is created from two different sets of 23 chromosomes, the individual created through cloning would have the same 46 chromosomes as the donor. Cloning implies the removal of the nucleus of an oocyte (egg) and introducing the donors nucleus. Keeping in mind that a nucleus is what holds genetic data; and by removing the original nucleus and inserting the donor, this process creates a new artificial cell with the potential to be used to develop a new human being (clone). Scientists would have to biochemically manipulate the process in order for the cell body (oocyte) to accept the new nucleus. After this process is of reproductive cloning is completed in a laboratory setting, this oocyte has to then be implanted in a womans uterus for the embryo to fully de velop (Pence 15). In the natural creation of a human being, the oocyte (from the female) and the sperm (from a male) unite in a process called fertilization. Each the oocyte and the sperm have a nucleus, which hold genetic data from each one of the parents. Unlike cloning, there is no separation or removal of the oocytes nucleus, thus, creating a new and unique human being, with a different genotype. Another subject for discussion is the idea of utilizing artificial uterus to grow these embryos; thus, denying the fetus of bonding with the mother. Then again, a clone would not be considered human, unless a real flesh-and blood female gestate such embryo (Tannert 238). On another matter, humans already produce natural clones. Monozygotic twins are the natural production humans trough the same fertilized cell. The division of the cell into two genetically identical individuals is considered normal but rarely; and although identical, they are not flawless copies. Furthermore, they are still the product of a natural process of fertilization and mutation and not cloning or biochemically manipulation. Therefore, the genetic material has gone through an intertwine process to create a new genotype ( (Tannert 239). Alternatively, an embryo produced in a laboratory, has been artificially constructed by human action. A manipulation that might grow up into a human, but considered an object. There are no possibilities of random mutation, as in the monozygotic twins, because to be considered a clone, it has to be genetically identical to the donor. Therefore, the argument becomes one of ethical evaluation giving a point to a legal ban on reproductive human cloning because we must not enforce ones genetic identity to another individual. Humans for the most part strive for autonomy; and so, by cloning we are restricting the cloned individual of some of the basic components of human survival; thus violating what constitutionally guarantee human rights. Whether it is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which the US Declaration of Independence lists as the unalienable rights of humankind; whether it is libertà ©, à ©galità ©, fraternità ©, the famous motto of the French revolution; or whether it is the simple and elegant statement that The dignity of man is sacrosanct, the first sentence of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany (Tannert 238). If one uses Immanuel Kant philosophies and adds the science of cloning, cloning uses one persons genetic material (to clone) as a vehicle to achieve the needs of another person (the person cloning). Therefore, one can say that this process is unethical and why it should be forbidden. On the other hand, for example, the first IVF baby born in England in 1978 is a normal woman. At first, the idea of producing humans in a tube was insane because of possible birth defects, since then thousands of kids have been born utilizing this method. The same people arguing against it in the past were the same people arguing against cloning. The National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) has also suggested a federal law to sanction any effort to create a human by cloning. This organization utilized the Americans illogical reservation of human cloning as a motive for a ban. The fears come from fictional movies and novels of human cloning, as well as, not being able to trust scientists. Arguments against human cloning thus far have been based on human emotions and ethics rather than facts. Emotions, however, can change with evidences. Artificial insemination for example, was once looked at as a deviance, now considered a social norm. Also, genetic testing for Down syndrome thro ugh amniocenteses because selection of pregnancy was an option. Cloning can offer some benefits: It can help scientist to comprehend how cells age; it can help with treating mitochondrial DNA diseases; and more importantly can eliminate the use of embryos for research. This could be accomplished by using the de-differentiated cell in the normal stage without fusing them to an egg, to create an embryo for reproductive experiments (Pence 46). There is also Polly the sheep, the first cloned animal to have a human gene in 1997. Polly was able to produce a human protein in the milk; to help individuals, such as hemophiliacs and bone diseases suffers that are not able to produce it. (CNN interactive). With Wilmuts techniques and discoveries, there is the possibility of new therapies to help sick people, for example, the alteration of a gene can help the treatment of cystic fibrosis and the transplant of pigs organs to dying humans could be genetically altered to reduce rejection (Pence 22). Scientists agreed that the possibility of having an identical genetic person is nearly impossible: Even clone cells, with identical set of genes, vary somewhat in shape or coloration. the jump is made from molecules to cells, complexity jumps exponentially because molecules can be combined in thousands upon thousands of ways from cells (Pence 31) Therefore, even if scientists try to play God, the odds of reproducing identical cells are close to zero. People should be given an opportunity to hear both sides of the arguments in favor or against it, and then vote on what they think is correct. The cloning techniques need to be perfected, the odds of a human cloned survival is poor and uncertain; furthermore, no one can guarantee perfect babies with no birth defects, but then again, even though natural fertilization, no one can guarantee a perfect baby. Human cloning it might look like playing God; however, God is a God of perfection, and that is something no human can ever achieve. Every single time the debate comes up-after Ian Wilmuts first cloning experimentations on mammals, after the Raelians claim to have cloned a human being, and in recent times, in the stir of the South Korean cloning scandal-the community, legislators and the media all express a profound apprehension with human cloning (Pence 16).

Lord of the Flies: Fear of the Unknown Essay example -- William Goldin

A distressing emotion aroused by impending evil and pain, whether the threat is real or imagined is described as fear. Fear is what William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies encompasses. By taking three major examples from the novel, fear will be considered on different levels: Simon’s having no instance of fear, Ralph’s fear of isolation on the island, and Jack’s fear of being powerless. Fear can make people behave in ways that are foreign to them, whether their fear is real or imagined. In response to fear, people may act defensively by attacking, fear can either stop one from doing something, or it can make one behave in an irrational erratic manner. On contrary from all the other boys on the island Simon, a Christ like figure in the novel, did not fear the ‘beastie’ or the unknown. â€Å"Maybe there is a beast....maybe it's only us† Simon explained. (p. 97) The fear of the unknown in the novel contributes to the boys’ terror of the beast, the beast is an imaginary figure which lays in all of the boys’ minds and haunts them. Golding uses the beast as a symbol of the evil that exists in every creature. "You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are the way they are?" The sow head announced to Simon to be the â€Å"lord of the flies†. The â€Å"lord of the flies† is a figure of the devil, and brings out all the evil and fear in people. It wants you to fear it, but if you don’t believe in the â€Å"lord of the flies† nothing can happen to you. Therefore Simon didn’t fall into the trap, but the beast killed him, meaning the other boys on the island did. Simon discovered that the beast is in fact just a dead parachute man before he died and ran down to tell the boys about his finding. When Sim... ...t. By physically punishing the boys, they will fear Jack, so they will obey him "We’ve got to have rules and obey them" (P.47). In closing, fear can make people act in ways that are unfamiliar to them, whether their fear is valid or imaginary. In reply to fear, people may act defensively by being violent, fear can either stop one from doing something, or it can make one behave in an absurd unpredictable behaviour. As revealed, fear is demonstrated in the â€Å"Lord of the Flies† in three major ways: Simon’s lack of fear, Ralph’s fear of being isolated, and Jacks vast fear of being over powered by Ralph. Evil and fear is brought to the island by the boys themselves believed Golding. The world will essentially always have the same problem until every human being on the earth is unblemished, until there is no more evil or fear in the world. Obviously fear isn’t over rated.

Swisher Mower Case

Swisher Mower and Machine Company Problem: Wayne Swisher the new president and CEO of Swisher Mower Company (SMC), is unsure of what the future holds for his firm. He was contacted by a major national retail merchandising chain about a private-brand distribution arrangement. Wayne Swisher needs to determine if he should accept the offer that was proposed by the national retail merchandising chain or reject it and continue on normal business. SWOT: Strengths: †¢Facilities have an annual production capacity of 10,000 riding mower units on a single 40-hour-per-week shift. †¢Developed great loyalty with dealers and distributors. Produced the first zero turning radius riding mower. †¢Produce high-quality mowers that are reliable and have great longevity. †¢Remained profitable since its founding. Weaknesses: †¢Limited distribution channels to only nonmetropolitan areas. †¢Produce mid-engine riding mowers while front engine mowers are more powerful and can hand le the bigger jobs. †¢Relies heavily and their Ride King and their T-44 trail mower only accounted for 8. 2 % of SMC’s total sales. Opportunities: †¢Plans to develop a walk behind trimmer and edger. †¢Have distributor arrangements in parts of Europe and the South Pacific which made up 5% of total sales. SMC could develop a riding snow thrower with their zero turn radius for the winter months. †¢Private brand distribution. †¢Sales projections for 1995 and 1996 are increasing from previous years. Threats: †¢Sales trends seem to be up and down. The sales are currently on the rise but history shows they could drop. †¢Ten manufactures make up the major competition in the riding lawn mower market. †¢Private label riding lawn mowers have captured a growing percentage of unit sales. †¢Developing a new product, the trim-max, shows that the riding lawn mower is in the mature or decline phase of the product life cycle. Critical Issues: †¢Industry statistics show that the riding mower sales are up and down. Currently, the market is on the rise but history shows it could drop. †¢SMC is a customer oriented company and Max Swisher’s wants to maintain a small company image. †¢The Ride King mower is in its mature or decline stage. †¢SMC produces high quality products that have a simple design for easy customer use and maintenance. †¢Private-label riding lawn mowers sales account for 40% of SMC sales. Private-label mowers account for 65 to 75% of the total industry sales. †¢75% of SMC’s sales are made in nonmetropolitan areas. Alternatives: AlternativeProsConsCost †¢Accept the offer from the major national retail merchandise chain for distribution of a private-brand. †¢The chain will cover all freight costs †¢The chain will do all advertising †¢The chain wants a sample order of 700 units and will place an order of approximately 8,200 units per year. †¢Distribution will broaden to metropolitan areas. †¢Chain wants to purchase the mowers at a price 5% lower than SMC’s manufactures. †¢No seasonal or promotional discounts. †¢SMC is liable for all personal injury claims. †¢Sales of SMC mowers by the chain could cannibalize existing sales. See Exhibit 1 †¢Reject the offer from the major national retail merchandise chain for distribution of a private-brand. †¢This would remain at the status quo. †¢Net Income is $430,200. †¢SMC could concentrate on developing the Trim-Max. †¢Will not get the exposure to the metropolitan areas. †¢If SMC rejects the offer, the chain may present the offer to some one else and this would increase their competition. †¢Private label mowers currently account for 65 to 75% of the total industry sales. SMC will maintain status quo and profit around $400,000 †¢More aggressively advertise the Ride King to try to gain market share in the metropolitan areas. Not necessary†¢This would gain a bigger percentage of the market share. †¢75% of SMC’s sales are made in non-metropolitan areas. SMC has this area covered pretty well. Could be the right time to move to metropolitan areas. †¢Advertising costs will go up. †¢Will need to produce more mowers therefore labor costs will go up. †¢Will need a bigger sales force. †¢Produce the new trimmer and edger product. Not necessary. The major decision is accept or reject the offer. †¢Ride King is in the mature or decline stage of product life cycle it may be time to introduce a new product. Walk behind trimmer is not on the market yet. †¢Labor costs will go up. †¢Storage costs may go up. †¢R&D will go up. †¢New products are sometimes tough to get on the market. Recommendations: I would recommend that SMC reject the offer put on the table by the major national retail merchandising chain that was asking about private band distribution for SMCà ¢â‚¬â„¢s line of riding lawn mowers. As shown in exhibit 1 net income decreases by a great deal. SMC’s current gross profit margin is 15% and this would decrease to 2%. There are also a few other negatives to accepting the offer that will cost SMC money. Sales of SMC mowers by the national chain merchandiser could cannibalize some of their existing sales and this is projected to be about 300 units per year. Also, the liabilities will go up on the SMC balance sheet because the chain wants SMC to assume all liabilities if any worker is hurt while using the mowerproducing the mowers. There are a few good reasons to accept the offer by the chain but I think the cons out weight the pros in this case. I think that SMC should try and advertise their Ride King more aggressively to the metropolitan areas while they are developing their new trimmer and edger product. Firms want to develop new products to stay profitable. Each product has a life cycle and when one product reaches its mature stage and starts to decline it is the best time to introduce a new product. This is the situation that SMC is looking at right now. I think the Ride King is mature and will start to decline. If SMC introduced the Trim-Max they will still be gaining profits because it will be going through its growing stage. They would be the first to the market with a walk behind trimmer. SMC is known for making high quality products and they should not have a problem introducing a trimmer to the market. Based on the information in the case SMC produces many different mowers that are mid-engine riding mowers. These are less powerful mowers and are great for use in metropolitan areas. This would be a great way to market their mowers and get them into the metropolitan areas easier. The national merchandising chain thought that there was a demand in the metropolitan areas for riding lawn mowers but the terms of their contract were not benefiting SMC. If SMC can get their mowers into these areas through their distributors without the national chain putting a private label on them they will become much more profitable.

Abraham Lincoln And The Civil War - 956 Words

Out of the first sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln was the first president who created foundation about ending slaves in America via his Emancipation of Proclamation. Lincoln was also a strong supporter for Homestead Act and The Pacific Railway Act, which became an essential law for American economics. Furthermore, 13th Amendment was Lincoln top priority in legislation after he was reelected as the President. President Abraham Lincoln truly became one of the greatest presidents via these achievements. In the presidential election of 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected to become the 16th President and this presidential result began a civil war in America. During the election, most of the Southern states did not vote for Abraham Lincoln because they knew that Lincoln was against slavery, which violated Southern states constitution. In April 12, 1861, the Civil War occurred and main reason of the war was because Lincoln believed that slavery should be banned. Lincoln’s belief s howed that he thought everyone should have their freedom to live. In January 1, 1863, Lincoln introduced Emancipation of Proclamation even though the civil war was about his banning slavery policy and belief. The Proclamation declared that â€Å"all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free† (The Emancipation Proclamation). The Proclamation brought Abraham many advantages when it first introduced. It helped the Northern States, which called Union, had moreShow MoreRelatedAbraham Lincoln And The Civil War1283 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Civil War was the bloodiest war in American history, and the impact was felt on many levels. Various estimates put the deaths during the Civil War at between 600,000 and 700,000. The last figure is the result of better research of existing death records and casualty lists (Isenhour). In order to understand the complexity of the Civil War, one must understand Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860 (History 1). He was elected as the 16th president (History 1). AfterRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The Civil War1095 Words   |  5 Pages1861 Abraham Lincoln became the sixteen president of the United States. He had the Proclamation of declaring forever to free slaves within the Confederacy in the year 1863. Lincoln directly told the South In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you.... You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to preserve, protect and defend it. Lincoln wasRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The Civil War1183 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Lincoln Lizzy Cook HIS 103 17 November 2015 Before the Emancipation Proclamation was passed, the Civil War had been going on for two years. UNION VICTORIES The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on September 22, 1862, but it did not take effect until January 1, 1863 (Emancipation Proclamation 1863). This took place during the Civil War, which was fought between the Union States and the Confederate States of America. The Emancipation Proclamation did not free the slaves, becauseRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The Civil War944 Words   |  4 PagesIn the mid-1800s, in the second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln identified the civil war as religious war: it is a will of God. He stated, God â€Å"gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe†; therefore, â€Å"with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in† (Lincoln). Opposite to Douglas ideas that slavery is natural, secular, and constitutional right, Lincoln asserted anti-slavery, linked to Evangelical ProtestantismRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The Civil War Essay1903 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction The Civil War was a war between the union, and confederate states in the United States that occurred from 1861-1865. Many people believed that the Civil War was about slavery and southern states right to defend their states’ rights. The confederates were fighting for their liberty and independence under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, who they felt was a tyrant. However, the union, was fighting to preserve their territory, that was created by their founding fathers from chaos andRead MoreAbraham Lincoln: Civil War2003 Words   |  9 PagesAugust 2010 SPEAKER | Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States of America and he help office during the Civil War. During the Civil War, the North and South split into two sides – the Union in the north led by president Lincoln and the Confederacy in the south led by president Davis. Originally, the Civil War was not an attempt by Lincoln to abolish slavery and emancipate the slaves, but to preserve and protect the Union, but later Lincoln decided that ending slaveryRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The American Civil War1758 Words   |  8 Pagesresource (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-lincoln-dies) Abraham Lincoln our 16th president of the Unite States of America was fatally shot on April 14, 1865 in the back of the head in the Presidential box at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. but, actually passed away at 7:22 a.m. the next day. Lincoln was taken to a home across the street, where he died, from the bullet wound he inflicted the night before. Lincoln survived nine hours after his assassination took place making himRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The American Civil War1322 Words   |  6 Pagesaccredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The â€Å"house divided†, as Lincoln depicted it in his famous â€Å"House Divided† speech, of the United States during the Civil War was not always led towards the freedom of all mankind and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president of the United States is most commonly remembered for inducing the courage and determination to end the American Civil War with the EmancipationRead MoreAbraham Lincoln : The American Civil War1756 Words   |  8 PagesAbraham Lincoln is often regarded as a resilient individual who triumphed over adversity during one of the most turbulent times in Unites States history: the American Civil War. Traits that are often attributed to him are h onesty, charisma, a silver tongue, and a sense of equality. Lincoln achieved notoriety not only with his exceptional delivery of famous speeches, such as the Lincoln-Douglas debates, but also with the lesser known interactions, conversations and daily activities with common peopleRead MoreCompare And Contrast Abraham Lincoln And The Civil War835 Words   |  4 PagesIn order to understand the American Civil War, one must know more about the leaders who controlled both sides. As many Americans know, Abraham Lincoln participated in the command of troops on the Northern side of the conflict. On the Southern side, a very influential leader was also present; Nathan Bedford Forrest was a well-known general in the South and was renowned for his brilliant tactics in combat. One is known as the great emancipator of the slaves, the other, as the first leader of the Ku