Science and technology, and ethics

I am current grappling with the idea of how ethics is important in science and technology. This is A VERY INTERESTING TOPIC. First off, it is controversial - and I love controversial topics because they make me THINK. Next, it is a very relevant topic because we are at an age and generation where science and technology pervades every part of our lives. To have knowledge about such topics is going to be useful and essential in the near future.

A few of the topics I have just read through on the internet:
Genetic testing, Human-animal stem cell research, Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.

Apparently, Singapore is one of the few countries at the forefront of stem cell research!! (WOW) So amazing. And I never knew that O.o
Our government allows embryos to be used in stem cell research, as long as stem cell is not extracted from them after they are 14-days-old. I found their reasoning very logical.

   "Within the 14th Day Limit: Research may be conducted on an embryo before it reached the 14th day from the day the gametes were fused. However, all such research is to be subject to strict regulation and undertaken only if there is very strong scientific merit in, and potential medical benefit to be derived from, such research. The BAC did not agree with the extreme view that an embryo is merely a collection of cells. While the BAC was prepared to recognise the special status of an embryo before it reached the 14 days limit, it did not consider this special status to be equivalent to the status that a living person would have.  Accordingly, the BAC considered it ethical to conduct research on such an embryo on a strictly regulated basis and subject to the conditions stipulated; and
  Beyond the 14th Day Limit: The BAC considered it unethical for research to be conducted on an embryo that has reached the 14th day limit and that such an embryo would be accorded full status as a person."

The 14-day agreement was because the embryo starts to show a primitive streak after 14 days. I think that this is a rather acceptable stand of the government. It is not too extreme or mild; it is rather moderate. Besides, it is my personal belief that an embryo (at least before the primitive streak) does not have consciousness or sentience, and therefore, cannot be truly considered as a 'human' or 'person' like the rest of the living humans. Regardless, I think that in the face of the various religious groups in Singapore, BAC managed to come up with a 'solution' that seems appropriate in Singapore's context.

Some scientists (not in SG) have also been producing headless mice and frogs. YES. You read that correctly. Guess what their ultimate aim is? TO PRODUCE A HEADLESS HUMAN CLONE.

That is just crazy, weird and obviously unethical. True, a headless human clone of yourself will give you the organs you need for organ transplant. Furthermore, it effectively wins the argument against opposers of cloning that the clone will have consciousness, and would be deemed as a 'person'. The scientists' argument is that by producing a headless clone, there is no brain, no mind, no consciousness. So, you are not really killing a 'human' in that sense. WELL, GREAT LOGIC HERE (sense the sarcasm please).

If you want clone infant to grow into that of an adult, even if it is headless, it is still growing. Growing = living thing. Even though it does not have consciousness or sentience, it is still considered a living thing. I mean, a patient in coma is also a person - here's the catch, but since he is in a state of coma, technically speaking, he has no consciousness. Does that mean that he can be treated as how your clone is going to be treated - killed for their organs? The absurdity of this situation makes me wonder how the scientists managed to convince themselves about the justifiability of their actions.

Are we really going to purposely create deformed human beings for the sake of saving the life of another? You have just officially created a life, and killed that very same life. All for the sake of another.

THIS is why this topic is so interesting. It gets us thinking about stuff like humanity and our understanding of technology and its appropriate uses.

Also, I think that people should get more involved in these kinds of debates! Basically, be more aware.

All in all, an interesting topic that is just as hard to score.