Stem Cells Pros And Cons

In the world today, people have access to breakthrough technology that gives ill patients the opportunity to seek optimal health with the assistance of stem cells. The use of stem cells for healthcare is used by taking the unspecialized cells form an embryo that is three to five days old and placing it in the location that it is needed on the patient. This type of treatment is very versatile because by using unspecialized cells, it means that these cells can turn into any type of cell in the human body and help those who need new cells. At a glance, readers would think that since these stem cells have the power to save many lives, it's a no brainer that they should be using them. There is another side to the story however, because although

One argument is, when using in-vitro fertilization, multiple embryos are implanted into the uterus and only one will latch on and continue to grow and all of the others will die. Knowing that these embryos will die, it is argued that doctors should use them for all the good they can and take their stem cells to save lives. The opposing argument would be that no matter what, by taking these stem cells from the embryos, they are still terminating the life of the embryos. There is also the argument of getting pregnant just to use the embryo's stem cells is morally wrong because again, they are still terminating a life. The last and most difficult argument to comprehend is that if you were ending the life of a six-year-old child for body parts instead of an embryo to save a life, would this still be allowed. Four different ethical theories will be looked at including; consequentialism, rights and contractarianism, and the two different perspectives of deontology from Kant and Ross and what they believe about this

Stem cells can be used to save the lives of ill patients due to their ability to specialize in the part of the body they are placed. From a utilitarian theory they would justify terminating the life of an embryo in the case of in-vitro fertilization because many embryos would be dying anyway. They argue that using the embryos that do not implant to the uterus will create the most happiness in the end because these unspecialized cells can be used to save many lives. The next ethical theory is rights and contractarianism and from this viewpoint they believe that everyone has their own rights and an ill patient has the right to the access to the technology to help them get better. This being said, at a certain age, embryos will have moral rights but at the age of three to five days, they do not have moral rights. Kant is a deontologist and he believes that no matter what happens during the action, as long as the outcome is the most beneficial and creates the most happiness, it is considered morally good. Kant supports that the end result of collecting stem cells to save the lives of ill patients is morally right even though it is ending the life of the embryo. The act of ending the embryos life is not good, however, using their stem cells to better the lives of others is morally right. The final ethical theory is deontology but from Ross's view and his