>> My point? Cloning has incredible possibilites for people with
>diseases
>> like MS and TM which had been at a stand still for years --yet we are to
>be
>> left sitting in our chairs, unable to walk, to love, because some
>> government(s) fear the unknown. I don't buy it for a minute!
>>
>> bryan
>>
>>
>>
>
>Bryan,
>
> I haven't thought through all of this yet, so I haven't arrived at any
>final conclusions. I hadn't honestly thought of the possibility of using
>cloning as you described. I guess at this point I see no harm in cloning a
>few cells for the purpose of helping a person's body heal as you described. I
>do see harm in the potential of cloning whole people in order to harvest
>their body parts.
I have a GREAT deal of trouble with this arguement. If you, at the age of
40 decided you needed a new liver becuase you had drank you initial one into
oblivion (for example), it would take the usual nine months to get a genetic
duplicate --and then you would have this tiny little liver -- and heart, and
lungs etc etc. You would obviously have to decide at around age 20 that you
were going to need these things and start the cloning then -- and of course
--then when you needed the organs you (or should I say your twin) would be
20 -- he/she might have some say about what they wanted done with their
vital organs? (Although "Sliders" has jumped on the replacement bandwagon
with it's March 15 episode) I think it's toooooo hypothetical to be a
realistic fear.
There are many ramifications of this and potential for good
>and evil that needs to be thought through, and my initial reaction toward
>cloning is negative, except for a few cells, as you described.
Yes, the idea here is to get de-differentiated cells -- not an entire human
being --and if cloning research is "stopped" --British government has
already withdrawn funding from the Scotish group -- how will this goal ever
be reached?
> By the way...being in a wheelchair and unable to walk doesn't affect a
>person's ability to love and be loved. The mental/emotional/spiritual aspect
>of love is much greater than the physical.
Spoken like a true Venutian ;-) --but you know what they say --men are from
Mars --although what you say is of course true, all the benefits would be nice.
>Barbara
>
>
Bryan