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Animal Cloning

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Animal Cloning and Experimentation | March 22
2011
| Is Cloning Animals Ethical? | Carli Mapes PHI 110 |

A question that has plagued scientific and philosophical minds for many years is whether the experimentation and cloning of animals is ethical. This same question has caused more questions to arise again and again; such as, should we exploit animals for our own benefit? Do our rights override that of animals, and if they do, should we be allowed to decide the fate of these animals? Furthermore, what are we to do with these animals when we have cloned them or when we have finished our experimentations on their cells? Are these clones really animals, or are they just scientific facsimiles? Because there are no clear-cut answers to these questions, opposing opinions are argued, sides are taken, and even organizations are founded to address this issue. Many of the reasons for justifying the cloning of animals are wrong and benefit only the ones who have sought them in the first place; for example, some companies want to use the cloned animals for its own selfish, personal gain. W. R. Grace Company sought to have prized animals cloned and sold at high prices.1 Racehorses were an ideal animal to clone because of its superior breeding and intellect. The price of the racehorses’ sperm alone sells for a hefty sum so its clones would sell for even more. What these companies do not understand is that each clone is not exactly the same as the original animal. There is a 0.5 percent difference in each and every cell of the clones2, and there are thousands of cells in a horse’s body. This seemingly infinitesimal difference adds up to a sizable difference, and could affect the way the horses run or behave. The horses would also be cared for, treated, and raised in different ways which in turn could affect their nature and their abilities; in the end, there

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