Why Embryonic Stem Cell Research Is Not Moral

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate October 2001

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Embryonic stem cell research is a topic on many people minds. Embryonic stem cells are self-replicating stem cells derived from the embryo that can differentiate into almost all the cells in the body. It is so controversial because this raises questions like; Is it right to kill an embryo for cures to save other peoples lives? Or if we don't proceed, is it right to make those who can benefit from this research suffer? I don't think that we should continue with this research because of many reasons, most important being an embryo is living and we humans have no right to kill other humans and not have consequences.

One might sat that it is not cruel for killing embryos because they will be discarded anyway. This is true but they can also be adopted by couples who would like to have children but aren't able to. Another reason is that even if they are discarded, they will die with respect instead of in a petrie dish where they can be mutilated.

In the 1995 encyclical The Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II wrote: "Human embryos obtained in vitro are human beings and are subjects with rights; their dignity and right to life must be respected from the first moment of their existence. It is immoral to produce human embryos destined to be exploited as disposable 'biological material'" (Pope John Paul II).

Another reason for not proceeding with embryonic stem cell research is that the cost for the research may be greater then the benefits, especially for the government. Some also say that approval to fund embryonic stem cell research may lead to direct federal funding for abortion, which is not allowed, because this could be used as an argument that embryos are not human beings.