The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Exploring the Realities of Human Cloning

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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Exploring the Realities of Human Cloning

About three days ago, I and my colleagues were of the impresson that human beings could go extinct if care wasn't taken, talk about a lot of small talks that finally led to a discussion on Human cloning.

This conversation made me realize one thing, as much as I felt I knew what Human cloning was, I was actually clueless, yes, a simple but yet somewhat cumbersome topic of discussion.
Wallowing in my cluelessness I decided to do what curiosity drives you to do best, I made my own findings as to what cloning really was.

I advise you check out this by Ayala et al., 2015, which talks about considering the biological, ethical, and social aspects of Human Cloning, it was my starting point- https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1501798112

Here is what I Got to know

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Image by Stefan Pütz from Pixabay

Cloning is an incredibly (emphasis on Incredibly) complex process, and it's still in its early stages of development. There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to cloning humans, and the potential risks are still being studied just so you know.

That being said, cloning does have some potential benefits. For example 👇

Cloning could be used to create replacement organs for people who need them.
It could also be used to create "perfect" embryos for parents who want to design their children according to their own specifications (Maybe someday, humanity will start ordering children online which would definitely come at a cost only made available to the highest bidder, just saying)

On the other hand, cloning also has some major risks. For example,

Cloned embryos may not develop properly, or they may be susceptible to genetic disorders.

There's also a risk that cloned individuals could feel isolated and alone since they would be the only ones of their kind in the world (well depending on your specifications)

So, is human cloning a good or bad idea? The answer is: it depends. Only you can decide if the benefits outweigh the risks.

Now basically, cloning is a process of creating an exact genetic replica of another human, that has been established.

A little digression:
Science fiction has always portrayed cloning in a negative light, with movies like Blade Runner and Gattaca exploring the dark side of a world where clones are treated as second-class citizens. But is human cloning really such a bad thing?

Let's take a closer look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of human cloning.

What are the Benefits of Human Cloning, let's talk about that

You might be thinking, "Hey, human cloning is a great idea!" But hold on there, cowboy. There are a few things you should know before you go ahead and clone yourself.

For starters, human cloning has the potential to eradicate genetic diseases and create designer babies. It could also help us replicate organs for transplants, and even bring extinct species back to life. Not too shabby, right?

But (there is always a but)

There are also some potential dangers to cloning humans. For example,
What if the clone turned out to be psychologically unstable? Or worse, what if it became a sociopathic killer (Now it doesn't sound so good right ?) The possibilities are endless – but ultimately, it's up to us to decide whether the benefits of human cloning outweigh the risks.

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Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

Risks Associated With Human Cloning

I would be straightforward here, the risk of creating a monster is a possibility.

No one really knows what will happen when human cloning is attempted. We can only speculate. But one thing is for sure:
If something goes wrong, it could be disastrous. For example,
what if the clone is born with genetic abnormalities? What if there was a compatibility problem? What if it's psychopathic? Now it beginning to sound like a bad idea

These are just a few of the risks associated with human cloning. It's important to remember that science is still in its infancy – we don't know everything yet. So before you go ahead and bet all on cloning, be sure to weigh all the risks involved. It might not be worth it in the end.

Ethical Implications of Human Cloning

Alright, so this is the part of the ride where we get to ask ourselves: what are the ethical implications of human cloning? To put it simply, it can be a real mind boggler!

Let’s say you clone yourself – do you really have a copy of your exact life, beliefs, and experiences? Is it really ethical to create something that is so alike to another something?

These are questions that remain unanswered and debated, but ultimately it is up to you and your conscience. One thing is clear though: if you’re going to clone someone, make sure it’s not yourself! You get enough of you already.

Possible Regulations

So you're still convinced that cloning is a great idea? If that's the case, regulations would need to be put in place to ensure safe practices and protect the rights of those who are being cloned. If a society decides to move forward with human cloning, these steps must be taken (recommended) in order to maximize safety and minimize risk.

First of all, the selection of which individuals can be legally cloned should be strictly regulated. There could also be protocols enforced for ensuring safe practices and procedures during the cloning process. Finally, there must also be provisions for monitoring the long-term effects of clone development and providing care for those who are in need.

So while clones may sound like an exciting idea, they could just as easily turn into an even bigger disaster if we don't put the right guardrails in place. So maybe you should think twice before playing God!

Looking to the Future of Cloning

So what does the future of cloning look like if this technology does become mainstream? A few years from now, will we all be cloned super soldiers, with metal arms and laser eyes? I really hope not, for humanity's sake.

It could be, however, that cloning will become a commonplace medical procedure. Parents could clone their children, with the intent to save or extend life, or to cure genetic diseases. Scientists could clone anything from livestock to endangered species. Industries may even be able to construct whole organs, such as hearts and livers, for transplantation purposes.

These are all potential benefits of cloning technology; but in order to prepare ourselves for its use (or misuse) in our society, we must be informed of the realities and implications behind it first. Cloning is an intriguing prospect but it comes with many ethical dilemmas – and that’s something that won’t go away anytime soon.

My Final thoughts

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Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

I keep asking myself, so what is my final verdict on this? Is human cloning a good or bad idea?
Well, the jury is still out on that one. But, as with any major decision, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.

On the one hand, human cloning could lead to major medical breakthroughs and allow us to cure diseases that have been previously untreatable. On the other hand, human cloning could lead to genetic disorders and have unforeseen consequences.

So, what do you think? Is human cloning a good or bad idea?

Let me know your view on this in the comment

References/Resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_cloning

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1501798112

https://www.statnews.com/2020/02/21/human-reproductive-cloning-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223960/

https://study.com/learn/lesson/human-cloning-pros-cons.html

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/human_cloning.htm

https://www.statnews.com/2020/02/21/human-reproductive-cloning-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/

https://www.nature.com/articles/palcomms201719

https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB115/B115_ID2-en.pdf



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Science fiction has always portrayed cloning in a negative light

It's true that we can get advantages and disadvantages at the same time in case of cloning. But I think the risk is huge in that case because of what most of movie try to show the negative side of it.

Have you ever thought what will happen if the clone try to take control of everything in this world?

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Clones would be, in the end, still just humans. It's unlikely that there is a higher risk of clones taking over everything, as opposed to traditionally bred humans, who are already trying to take over everything.

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That would be so bad, we hope not

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It's likely that the true pros and cons of human cloning will not be discovered until we actually try it. Speculation is, after all, just speculation.

The argument that humans shouldn't be 'playing god' is juvenile. Humans play at god with almost every endeavor we undertake.

Like any ideas, the idea of human cloning isn't good or bad by itself, it's just an idea. How we use it, and how we view how it gets used, will determine whether or not the tech ends up being 'good' or 'bad'.

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You said "the argument that human shouldn't be playing God is juvenile" uhm before we experience a back and forth on this, I have a simple question for you, Do you believe in God?

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I do believe in God... I believe in all of them. It's a big universe, with room for all sorts of crazy things. I'm also certain they're not omnipotent, and I do not believe that any of them have any interest at all in what happens among humans.

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