Cloning technology is a great progress in human science and technology, which has a breakthrough significance. The application of cloning technology has the following advantages: first, using biotechnology such as cloning to change the genotype of crops and produce a large number of new varieties with disease resistance, insect resistance and salt tolerance, thus greatly improving the yield of crops. The second is to cultivate a large number of excellent livestock, such as cattle, sheep and pigs with good meat quality, and also cultivate some cows with high milk production and rich nutrients needed by human body. Third, it has great influence on medical treatment, such as finding out the pathogenic genes by molecular cloning technology and putting forward the molecular biological mechanism of diseases; Cloning a transgenic sheep whose milk contains drug protein for treating hemophilia can better meet the dietotherapy needs of hemophilia patients. Seeking a wider source of organ transplantation, introducing human organ tissues and immune system genes into animals to grow the needed human organs can reduce immune rejection and improve the success rate of transplantation. Fourth, in order to protect the environment and endangered animals and plants, species are propagated through cloning technology. The fifth is to provide more suitable animals for medical research and greatly improve the accuracy and safety of the experiment. Wait a minute.
Some scholars believe that cloning technology is worrying, which will fundamentally destroy the uniqueness of biological individuals and may have an unexpected impact on the ecosystem. The negative effects of cloning technology, especially human cloning, will lead to very thorny social and ethical problems, which have been widely concerned and discussed by academic circles. The possibility of technology does not mean the legitimacy of value. If scientists only pay attention to the technical possibility and ignore its value legitimacy in the research of cloning technology, then cloning technology will bring more harm than good, even a kind of difficulty to mankind.
From the perspective of moral value, there are the following aspects: First, from the perspective of social ethics, human cloning is an excessive intervention in human development, which may affect the natural composition and development of human race. Second, from the perspective of family ethics, it will aggravate the tendency of family diversification, disintegrate the normal interpersonal order, change people's kinship and lose their basic sense of belonging. Thirdly, from the perspective of sexual ethics, it completely changed the natural fertility model based on sex, separated the fertility of the population from sex, and destroyed human feelings. Fourthly, from the perspective of bioethics, it destroys people's right to have unique genes, which may lead to the degradation of human race and shake the normal view of life and death.
Some scholars also critically reflect on the possible negative consequences of cloning technology from a broader perspective. In addition to the above moral level, this is also manifested in the following aspects: first, at the ecological level, gene replication caused by cloning technology will threaten the maintenance of gene diversity, and the evolution of organisms will go through a reverse process, that is, from complexity to simplicity, which is extremely unfavorable to the survival of organisms. Secondly, at the cultural level, human cloning is a substitute and negation of natural reproduction, which breaks the self-discipline of biological evolution and has a typical anti-natural nature. It runs counter to the basic cultural trend of advocating the unity of man and nature and returning to nature. Thirdly, on the philosophical level, the realization of human self-replication and self-reproduction through cloning technology may lead to the disorder of human body-mind relationship. People's unrepeatable and irreplaceable personality rules have lost their uniqueness and the natural basis and biological premise of themselves and their personality characteristics because of a large number of copies.
When new technology conflicts with people's ideas, we should treat bioethics with a rational attitude, respect both science and technology and human dignity, and let time resolve the contradictions. The development of human history shows that ethical standards will evolve with the progress and development of society, and the social ethical obstacles encountered by human asexual reproduction will be solved in the future society.
How much benefit will cloning technology bring to mankind? For example, the ewe bred by British PPL company contains A- 1 antitrypsin for treating emphysema. The price of this goat's milk is $6,000 a liter. A ewe is like a pharmaceutical factory. What is the most effective and convenient way to breed this kind of sheep? The best way is to "clone". Similarly, Dutch PHP company has bred cows that can secrete human lactoferrin, and Israeli LAS company has bred sheep that can produce serum albumin. How can these high value-added livestock breed effectively? The answer is of course "cloning". A mare and a donkey can get an animal with a particularly strong heterosis-a mule, but mules can't reproduce. So, how does an excellent mule expand its reproduction? The best way is also "cloning". The giant panda in China is a national treasure, but its natural mating success rate is low and it is on the verge of extinction. How to save the large-scale cloning of this rare animal provides a practical way for human beings. A mare and a donkey can get an animal with a particularly strong heterosis-a mule, but mules can't reproduce. So, how does an excellent mule expand its reproduction? The best way is also "cloning". The giant panda in China is a national treasure, but its natural mating success rate is low and it is on the verge of extinction. How to save the large-scale cloning of this rare animal provides a practical way for human beings. In addition, cloning animals plays an important role in studying cancer biology, immunology and human life span. Undeniably, the appearance of "cloned sheep" has also aroused many people's interest in "human cloning". For example, some people are considering whether they can clone an embryo from their own cells and freeze it before it takes shape. One day in the future, when something goes wrong with one of our own organs, we can take this organ out of the embryo for culture and then replace our diseased organs, which is to provide ourselves with "accessories" through cloning.
Cloning is a double-edged sword with both advantages and disadvantages. We should treat it correctly.