2002 Articles

STEM CELLS, THERAPEUTIC CLONING, AND THE SOUL

Pollack, Robert

In the article "Stem Cells, Therapeutic Cloning, and the Soul," Robert Pollack explores the ethical, scientific, and religious implications of stem cell research and therapeutic cloning. Pollack delves into the complex relationship between scientific advancements and religious beliefs, particularly in the context of President Bush's 2001 decisions regarding federal funding for stem cell research.

Pollack critiques the President's policy, which allowed federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines but prohibited the creation of new ones. He argues that this decision, while seemingly a compromise, fails to fully address the scientific potential and ethical concerns associated with stem cell research. Pollack suggests that the President's stance is influenced by his religious convictions, particularly the belief in the sanctity of the soul, which Pollack discusses as a non-physical essence that many believe is present in all humans, including embryos.

Pollack also considers the potential of therapeutic cloning, a technology that could avoid some of the ethical dilemmas of embryonic stem cell research by using a patient's own cells to create compatible tissues for medical treatments. He argues that therapeutic cloning could offer significant medical benefits without the ethical complications of using embryonic cells, yet this approach was not fully endorsed by the President, likely due to concerns about cloning's potential misuse.

Overall, Pollack calls for a more nuanced and ethically consistent approach to stem cell research, one that acknowledges both the scientific possibilities and the deep-seated religious and ethical beliefs that shape public policy.