The Pros And Cons Of Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Created in 1967 The Trolley Problem is one of the most famous thought experiments in all of philosophy. The story is as follows: A crazed man has tied 4 innocent victims onto a railway, destined to be hit and killed by an approaching train. One has the ability to divert the train and save the lives of the four, but in doing so one would kill an innocent pedestrian standing on the other set of tracks. It is in this moment that one has to choose to kill one person to save four or to do nothing and let the four die as they would have anyway (Clark). It has been stated that there is a similar dilemma facing society today, Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Embryonic Stem Cell Research is the act of taking stem cells from embryos, an umbilical cord,

Not only is this untrue, it portrays a harsh picture of scientists and science in general. This leads some uneducated individuals to not even consider this a science, but more of a pseudoscience. Embryos that are used for Embryonic Stem Cell Research are obtained through a variety of ways but most, if not all, are obtained through a process called In vitro fertilization (Holland 11). In vitro fertilization is where a mother cannot bear children naturally, so she voluntarily gives up some of her eggs. These eggs are then mixed with sperm from either a donor or from the father, and then implanted back into the mother. About 20 eggs are taken out of the mother and only about 6-8 of the healthiest looking are implanted back into the mother in which maybe 1 may survive and produce a child (Curzer).There are rare cases where all 6-8 form into children such as “Octomom” and “Jon & Kate Plus 8”. The other twelve or so eggs are essentially useless and are usually discarded. Some options do exist whereas they can be frozen which is very expensive, but even more discouraging is that the act of freezing and then thawing the embryos kills a majority of them (Curzer). So mostly all of the embryos that that are used for Embryonic Stem Cell Research are cells that are just going to be thrown away anyways. For this is the very reason, Embryonic Stem Cell

Stem cells hold the promise of treatments and cures for more than 70 major diseases and conditions that affect millions of people, including Diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), Spinal Cord Injuries, Blindness, and HIV/AIDS (“Headlines”). Currently no lives have been saved from Embryonic Stem Cell Research, but it has shown enormous potential and the field is still very new—human Embryonic Stem Cells were first identified in 1998. Moreover, in the US and some other countries, progress has been slowed by funding restrictions and political controversies (“Headlines”). In 2003 Funding was cut for stem cell research from then deeply conservative President George W. Bush. Funding wasn’t reinstated until 2012 by President Barrack Obama and has just started to get back on its feet after 10 years of near dormant research. The biggest problem that most people have with Embryonic Stem Cell Research is that they feel that every life is precious and that one should not be taken no matter what, even if good can come from it. The science community isn’t disagreeing that life isn’t special, where they disagree is on the definition of life. The ability to become life is not synonymous with life. Michael Sandal from Harvard University asks to consider the following