Cloning Humans with Non-Human Attributes: The Ethical Dilemma

  • Thread starter RainyDay
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In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of cloning humans and giving them non-human attributes. It is clarified that clones are genetic duplicates and any changes in their DNA would make them not true clones. It is also mentioned that monozygotic twins are a type of clone.
  • #1
RainyDay
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If it was possible to clone people would it be possible to give them (the clones) non-human attributes?
 
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  • #2
I'm not sure what you mean by non-human attribute. Could you explain more clearly?
A clone is merely an exact genetic duplicate, and should (bar any complications or environmental influences) grow up to be identical to the person from which the genetic material was taken. If anything is changed in terms of DNA, then it is not a clone.
 
  • #3
as an addition to what matthyaouw said:
monozygotic twins are clones
 
  • #4
homozygotes then?
 
  • #5
There are two types of twins, heterozygotic twins and monozygotic/homozygotic twins. Heterozygotic twins are, with respect to their genes, exactly like brothers and sisters; each of them inherited a different set of genes from their parents (they developed from different zygotes). Monozygotic twins both inherited exactly the same genes from their parents (they developed from the same zygote, that divided to from two separate fetuses).
 
  • #6
never mind, I understand
 
Last edited:

1. Is it possible to clone a human being?

Yes, it is theoretically possible to clone a human being through a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This involves taking the nucleus of a somatic (body) cell from a donor and inserting it into an enucleated egg cell. However, the success rate of cloning is extremely low and there are significant ethical concerns surrounding human cloning.

2. How close are we to being able to clone humans?

While scientific advancements have been made in cloning animals, the process is still not perfected and there are many technical and ethical hurdles to overcome before human cloning can become a reality. It is difficult to predict when or if human cloning will ever become possible.

3. Can a clone be an exact copy of a person?

No, a clone would not be an exact copy of a person. While they would share the same genetic material, environmental factors and individual experiences would still shape the clone's development and personality.

4. What are the potential risks of human cloning?

There are numerous potential risks associated with human cloning, including physical and psychological harm to the clone, negative societal impacts, and the potential for exploitation. Additionally, the success rate of cloning is low and there is a possibility of creating malformed or nonviable clones.

5. Is human cloning legal?

Currently, human cloning is not legal in most countries. Many countries have laws and regulations prohibiting human cloning and it is also banned by international agreements. However, there are ongoing debates and discussions about the ethics and potential applications of human cloning, and the legality of it may change in the future.

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