Opposing Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Opposing Embryonic Stem Cell Research Stem cell research has a lot to offer in the way of treatments, or even cures to some devastating diseases that humans face. However, research using human embryonic stem cells that can only be obtained by killing a human embryo can not be condoned or paid for by the United States Government. Federal funding needs to focus on the adult stem cell research that has already been proven successful and can be obtained without destroying a human life. Ethics and morals need to be considered when the destruction of one human life is acceptable so that another human may live. The first thing to differentiate is that it is ethical to experiment on human tissue, but those experiments on human beings are not ethical. Therefore, it is perfectly ethical to proceed with any and all types of stem cell research as long as human tissue is being used, but it is completely unethical to do embryonic stem cell research, which by its very nature necessitates the killing of a living human embryo to obtain that stem cell (Willke). Science has shown that embryos contain all the necessary parts to grow into a living, breathing human. To understand this we must first review early development biology. J. C. Willke writes:
Human life begins at the union of sperm and ovum. During that first day, this is properly termed a "fertilized egg." However, this single-celled human body divides, divides, and divides again, so that nearing the end of the first week this embryo, now called a "blastocyst," numbers several hundred cells. After the first day, a number of names apply to various developmental stages of the same living human, fertilized egg, or zygote (a single cell), a blastocyst (many cells), embryo, fetus, infant, child adolescent, etc. During the first week, this tiny new human floats freely down his or her mother's tube, dividing and sub-dividing as the journey is made. At about one week of life, he or she plants within nutrient lining of
Human life begins at the union of sperm and ovum. During that first day, this is properly termed a "fertilized egg." However, this single-celled human body divides, divides, and divides again, so that nearing the end of the first week this embryo, now called a "blastocyst," numbers several hundred cells. After the first day, a number of names apply to various developmental stages of the same living human, fertilized egg, or zygote (a single cell), a blastocyst (many cells), embryo, fetus, infant, child adolescent, etc. During the first week, this tiny new human floats freely down his or her mother's tube, dividing and sub-dividing as the journey is made. At about one week of life, he or she plants within nutrient lining of
Cited: lifenews.com. Ed. Steven Ertelt. "President Bush Still Opposes Embryonic Stem Cell Research." 09 June 2004. 16 Apr. 2005 . Mackay-Sim, Alan. CNN.com. 22 Mar. 2005. Griffith University. 20 Apr. 2005 . News-Medical.net. "Time for Ethical Reflection is Before Experimentation Begins". 16 Mar. 2005. 20 Apr. 2005 . ScienceDaily.com. "Researcher Takes Stem Cell Research Another Step." 11 Apr. 05. New Jersey Institute of Technology. 20 Apr. 2005 . Willke, J C. lifeissues.org. Life Issues Institute, Inc. 09 Apr. 2005 .