Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 73 No. 1, 2003.
Pregledni rad
The Issue of Human Cloning (Part One). Biomedical Data: Evidence, Interpretation and Understanding
Tonči Matulić
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
This paper captures some of the fundamental biomedical data regarding whole range of biological techniques of human cloning. The motive is one and simple. All these biomedical data are often misinterpreted and consequently misunderstood in public arena when human cloning debate takes place. Very often we hear about cloning of human embryo but at the same time it is not clear whether one thinks about creating human embryo by in vitro fertilization or using frozen embryos being left over in vitro fertilization. Still more confusing atmosphere creates a debate on human embryonic stem cell research. Are we about to use existing human embryos as a source of stem cells or are we about to create new human embryos by in vitro fertilization for the same purpose? Both questions have the same fundamental meaning in terms of ethics, namely what is one's behavior toward human life in its beginnings. This paper shows that the basic problem of all human cloning discussion lies in lack of right understanding of biomedical data. When people listen to the media news what happened in some Biotech labs, i.e. throughout USA, they often react in such a way as if a life on earth is at stake. But afterwards when everything regarding the details of the news becomes quite clear, than we see that actually nothing especially happened. This is what happened exactly in the case of the »first human clone« named »Eve«. The quotations show us that after almost two months we still lack of any serious and reasonable confirmation of that message. Is it than true message? The media affairs in the field of biomedical sciences are important but as we see it from our point of view this importance often has a negative sign. This notorious experience is based on the fact that common people do not understand biomedical data related to human cloning, which are mediated in public arena, no matter whether by experts or by journalists. It is not right to say that common people are not able to understand what is going on in Biotech labs. Maybe they didn't have a chance to study biomedical sciences. But not all meaning of life is contained in biomedical knowledge. Indeed, one is able to express an evaluative judgement or to take ethical position in regard to human cloning even if one does not know it is all about in terms of biology, medicine, and technology. It is also false to think that only on the basis of the right understanding of biomedical data we can justify or condemn human cloning, whether reproductive or therapeutic. What is needed is the deeper knowledge about man, human sexuality, relationships between sexes in our societies, and the true meaning of human procreation. And common people also know very well all these things because they mostly belong to personal value judgements. Nevertheless if we like to proceed with ethical evaluation of human cloning we need to understand a matter of fact. In so doing we are avoiding the mistake done by those who work on biomedical evaluation but in a fallacious way. What is clone and cloning? What is parthenogenesis? What are human embryonic stem cells? What is therapeutic and reproductive cloning? These are only some questions this paper deal with. The purpose is clear. Namely, before we proceed with ethical evaluations of human cloning in other two parts, we have to understand what we are talking about in terms of concrete biomedical data.
Ključne riječi
clone; cloning; parthenogenesis; genetics; genome; genes; DNA; human embryo; embryonic stem cells; adult stem cells
Hrčak ID:
27921
URI
Datum izdavanja:
2.7.2003.
Posjeta: 3.876 *