Genetic cloning
Genetic cloningOn the approach to the second millennia, �cloning� and the ability to manipulate and modify DNA has increased immensely. The field of genetic reproduction is creating a variety of unknown social and ethical consequences that are particular to our present time. Such consequences, although unknown now, of the manipulation of nature at such a primary biological level will have disastrous effects on the generations of the future. Cloning as a new science, concerns itself with the replication of organisms through asexual scientific method creating exact replications of the parent cell. However, cloning in the 90s has developed to the point where manipulation of human D.N.A is a very real prospect and many issues surrounding it must be addressed. These issues and the positive and negative influences on our society will be discussed herein, concentrating on selective breeding, genetic engineering, the identity of �clones�, enhanced cell growth products and production of spare body parts.
Firstly, selective breeding throughout the ages has served humanity in many ways. The origins of cloning lie in the agricultural history of humanity. Therefore the perceived gap between cloning and our nature are not so distant, as cloning has been the means by which humankind has cultivated flora for a millennia. In addition, selective breeding has been the means by which humankind has manipulated fauna for its own ends. In both cases genetic manipulation does serve humanity on many practical levels.
Secondly, humankind has genetically engineered many species through selective breeding. The potential of cloning in food production is, if not unclear, certainly unknown to most people. Selective breeding of flora and fauna has continued for eons. Only breeds of preference have been maintained as useful for humankind. The word �clone� finds its origins in ancient Greek. �Klone� (Kreb, 1985 p.164) defined simply in Greek means �twig�, a twig that you could place in the ground and the parent plant would be reproduced, better known now as �propagation�. Propagation has long been under the influence of genetic engineering in the form of selective breeding. An example of this is barking dogs, it is well known that wild dogs do not bark as such, they howl and growl, domestic dogs on the other hand have been bred to bark, hence barking dogs have been preferable to humankind as they alert the coming of strangers. Today barking dogs have become unpreferable as the density of human population increases, so the requirement for dogs to warn and bark has become obsolete. Here it can be seen that the consequences of manipulating nature for our own uses are insidious if not unnecessary.
Genetically engineered food products have caused a recent grand reaction of protest in Europe, as many farming communities there have refused to use imported genetically modified food crops that have been developed in America. From cows to potatoes almost all primary food markets have been affected by genetic engineering. America, endorsing such altered flora products does so in the name of conquesting world hunger....
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