Presentation Transcript

1. Natural Law and Embryo Research

2. ‘the scientific study of an animal in the early stages of development’ Stem cell research – using the cells of embryos as unspecialised cells that can grow into any of the body’s specialised cells. Facilitates research into diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimers, and Motor Neurone disease, which are difficult to study under other circumstances. May now legally involve hybrid embryos, including cytoplasmic (fusing an empty egg cell with a cell from another species), chimera (combing embryonic cells from different species) and true hybrid (fertilisation of one species’ egg with another species’ sperm).
3. Primary (and Secondary) Precepts Live - If one defines life as beginning at conception, (as most Catholics do) then is it murder? Reproduce – Could we argue that these embryos ought to have become children, and so we are perverting the natural reproductive order? Teach/Learn – Are we educating ourselves about these conditions? Contribute to an Ordered Society – Are we going against this by creating a society in which embryos are seen as research equipment? Worship God – Is it ‘playing God’ to mix human cells with those of other animals?
4. Remote Principles The law of double effect – Could it be argued the principle aim of the agent embryo research is to preserve life through the curing/treatment of serious illnesses, a morally good action? Probably not valid, because (a) with a good outcome so distant, is the bad the intended action as a means to the good? (b) Can the harm be said to outweigh the good (murder justified by possible medical advances)? And (c) is enough care is not taken to avoid harm (possible use of bone marrow stem cells, for example)?
5. Proportionalism The ethical issues concerned are mainly relevant to the primary as well as the secondaryprecepts (unlike, for example, aspects of IVF) and therefore a proportionalist approachcouldprobably not justifyembryoresearch.