PHI 2396 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Universal Health Care, Human Cloning, Blastocyst

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHI 2396
• Professor: Dean Lauer

Document Summary

Stem cell debate ii: the ethics of the science. The use of stem cell is complicated by uneven access and incomplete science. Destruction of early embryos: bioethi(cid:272)ist ro(cid:271)ert george has poi(cid:374)ted out that (cid:862)if hu(cid:373)a(cid:374)s e(cid:373)(cid:271)ryos are (cid:374)ot hu(cid:373)a(cid:374) beings then there is the promise of scientific advancement and the prospect of developing useful therapies. Bioethicist leon kass has (cid:373)ade the (cid:272)lai(cid:373) that the prote(cid:272)tio(cid:374)s of (cid:862)hu(cid:373)a(cid:374) dig(cid:374)ity(cid:863) are at issue i(cid:374) his oppositio(cid:374) to stem cell research. Canadian law permits research with spare (leftover in vitro fertilized), not specifically created, embryos. In oct 2003 a national survey was conducted by the research firm pollara, questioning 1375 adult canadians. Nearly 58% of those surveyed approved allowing stem cell research on human embryos that are either left over from fertility treatment or created for such research. 64% agreed that federal government should provide funding for this scientific research.