McQuilkin and Copan's Perspective on Stem Cell Research
McQuilkin and Copan argue that while adult stem cell research is morally acceptable, embryonic stem cell research is not. They believe that the latter involves the destruction of human embryos, making it unethical in their view.
Why is embryonic stem cell research immoral?
Why is embryonic stem cell research immoral?
Obtaining embryonic stem cells involves killing unborn humans.
Explanation
McQuilkin and Copan describes stem cell as cells that have the ability to divide different cell types and are source for various tissues in the body. This recreation ability have led to the development of Embryonic stem cell where these stem cells are harvested from unused embryos. McQuilkin and Copan argued that it involves killing unborn humans and it is therefore morally wrong. They however argued that adult stem cell research is morally permissible.
Final answer
Embryonic stem cell research is considered immoral by some because it involves the destruction of human embryos. Genetic engineering poses ethical dilemmas, particularly when the engineering extends beyond health improvements to aesthetic or intelligence enhancements. Somatic stem cells and iPSCs provide alternatives that do not involve these ethical concerns.
Explanation
McQuilkin and Copan discuss the ethics of stem cell research, contrasting adult stem cell research with embryonic stem cell research. They argue that embryonic stem cell research is immoral primarily because it involves the destruction of human embryos, which they consider to be the destruction of potential human life. This viewpoint is often aligned with the belief that human life begins at conception, making any destruction of an embryo morally equivalent to taking a human life.
In terms of ethical considerations outside of stem cell research, the idea of genetically engineering an embryo for health versus attributes such as beauty or intelligence raises important ethical questions. Some would argue that genetic engineering for health is a moral obligation if it prevents suffering, while engineering for aesthetics or intelligence involves making arbitrary decisions about desirable traits, which has potential implications for social inequality and personal identity.
Regarding the difference between somatic stem cells and embryonic stem cells, somatic or adult stem cells are found in already-developed tissues and have a limited range of differentiation. They are not seen as foreign by the patient's body, which avoids immune system rejection, a significant advantage over embryonic stem cells. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer a promising alternative, capable of being derived from adult cells and reprogrammed to an embryonic-like pluripotent state without the ethical concerns associated with embryonic stem cells.