The embryo dispute is one of the fundamental provisions of bioethics. The main point of contention is the ethics of using embryonic research to advance medicine. The debate is a consequence of reasoning about the value of human life, the rights of the unborn, and the impact of the development of science and technology on society. The debate about embryonic research has had a significant impact on medical ethics and has resulted in the value of saved lives being considered far more important than respecting the rights of the unborn embryo.
On the one hand, proponents of the use of embryos in medical placement argue that such research holds great promise for medical advances that can save and improve the lives of many people. For example, embryonic stem cells have the ability to repair damaged tissues and organs and treat various diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and spinal cord injury. Since the embryos used in the studies are often obtained from in vitro fertilization clinics and would otherwise be discarded, they argue that the benefits of this study outweigh the moral considerations. On the other hand, those who oppose embryo research argue that it is unethical and morally wrong to experiment on human embryos because they share the same moral stance as the adult human.
The basis for the dispute about the use of embryos in testing is raised by the moral and ethical question of whether the embryo is human. Opponents of embryo testing argue that destroying embryos, even for scientific research, violates human rights and endangers the integrity of life (Austriaco 269). Others have also criticized the usefulness of the study, pointing out that the benefits are hypothetical and that there are other sources of stem cells, such as adult stem cells, that do not require embryos to be destroyed. The generally accepted concept, however, is the fact that an embryo cannot be considered human, since legally life begins at the moment of birth.
Discourse on the rights of embryos raises an even more difficult moral question about what is meant by human being. According to Kass, human weakness is the main characteristic of a human being (Kass 7). Mortality helps face one’s own shortcomings, which serves as a source of humility. People learn to respect their own and other people’s lives because of human weakness. In addition, Kass believes that respect for human dignity is one of the fundamentally important states of life (Kass 16). At the same time, self-respect can be a hostile human characteristic. The confusion of awareness of one’s own importance and one’s own weakness is an eternal human contradiction. Respect for human dignity is an important part of the embryo controversy. Opponents of embryonic research may argue that embryonic research is a violation of human dignity. At the same time, supporters of this branch of medicine may argue that embryos cannot be equated with adults in matters of rights and dignity.
In conclusion, the embryo debate is a very sensitive and divisive topic, and one that is likely to be the source of much controversy for years to come. The value and dignity of human life must ultimately be taken into account in all decisions related to embryonic research. The resolution of this dispute lies within the scope of medical ethics, which must decide whether the use of embryos in medical tests is ethically justified. Given the continuation of research using embryonic material, each researcher must independently resolve this controversial issue.
Works Cited
Austriaco Op Nicanor Pier Giorgio. Biomedicen and Beatitude: An Introduction to Catholic Bioethics, Second Edition. Catholic University of America Press, 2021.
Kass, Leon R. “Life, Liberty, and the Defense of Dignity: The Challenge for Bioethics.” Public Interest, no. 156, 2004, pp. 1-22.