Jump to content

What are the pros and cons of stem cell research?


Mr Rayon

Recommended Posts

What are the pros and cons of stem cell research? I am supposed to form an argument about it tomorrow for an oral presentation for English. I am supposed to convince my class that I am right by using many persuasive techniques (e.g. bias). The oral is supposed to be 5 minutes long.

 

What are the ethical issues of stem cell research?

 

 

 

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It really depends on what kind of stem cell research you are talking about. There will be different issues associated with embryonic stem cells compared to adult stem cells, etc.

 

Could you list the differences?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Votlman, what do you think the pros and cons are? Do you have an example for one or two?

 

If you give us a start for this, we can help you out with formulating the arguments. As it goes, we would rather not answer your homework for you, but rather help you out.

 

Also, I recommend you read a bit about stem cell research and pick one aspect of it to argue -- it is a HUGE subject, so it will be very hard to argue either position if you don't narrow it down a bit...

 

Give us a bit more specific perspective and some of YOUR work on it, and we will be happy to help out!

 

~moo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am prochoice so i lean tords the more pros than cons but for the sake of it all ill make you little list, because i am lazy and i like to make lists :)

 

Pros

1. cures for diseases

2. opens more career oportunities

3. people constanly reproduce whats a few extra cells for researched?

 

Cons

1. exucusses for abortion

2. the possibility of less population

 

to tell you the truth im running out of things to list....

anyone wana help me out here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The controversial topic is always embryonic stem cell research, which involves extracting stem cells from embryos, meaning the embryos do not develop into kids ("murder!"). But there are numerous ways of getting stem cells without embryos, so your real research should be "what can stem cells be used for?"

 

Here's a good starter list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell_treatments

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The controversial topic is always embryonic stem cell research, which involves extracting stem cells from embryos, meaning the embryos do not develop into kids ("murder!").

 

So, just to clarify adult stem cell research as well other types of stem cells (apart from embryonic) are not considered to be wrong?


Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

If adult stem cell research is considered okay, why not just conduct adult stem cell research instead of embryonic stem cell research?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Adult stem cells can only make a few cell types for the location they were harvested from: skin, liver, etc. Embryonic stem cells can make any cell type in the entire body.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, just to clarify adult stem cell research as well other types of stem cells (apart from embryonic) are not considered to be wrong?

There is no objective/absolute answer to this question. For some people, yes... for others, no.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again, depends entirely on who you ask.

 

I would suggest, however, that among scientists there is little or no problem with it. I would also suggest that those who do have problems with it tend to do so due to religious reasons, but I speculate.

 

Me... as an insulin-dependent diabetic who could directly benefit from it? I say, LET'S GO!! Full speed ahead!

We know how to do it. All that rules against it are going to do is to delay the inevitable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EDIT 2: Was Dolly the sheep created using stem cell research?

 

EDIT 3: Did she die earlier than the average sheep? Were there any remarkable and noticeable differences between Dolly and other sheep?

 

Nevermind...Dolly died at the age of six which was half of the life-expectancy of ordinary sheep. I have also found out that straight after Dolly had been created, other animals had been cloned also. Did they live to their life-expectancy? Or did they die early?

 

And what about Dolly's offspring, are they still alive?

Edited by Voltman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dolly was cloned, which is not related to stem cell research per se.

Dolly as well as all other cloned mammals (using adult nuclei that is) aged prematurely, had offspring, though I do not believe that they should be remarkable in any way (at least in theory).

 

Back to stem cells, I would be surprised if there was a controversy regarding adult stem cells. At least, I am currently not aware of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are 4 distinct groups of stem cells; Adult stem cells, Infant stem cells, Fetal stem cells, and Embryonic stem cell.

 

Society currently accepts the use of all these except Fetal stem cells.

 

ASCs are derived from adults and so do not kill the host yet they are not pluripotent

ESCs are usually obtained from the left overs of in vitro and are pluripotent

Infant Stem Cells are obtained from the umbilical cord and are pluripotent

 

It is only because Fetal Stem Cells result in the destruction of the fetus that society has raised a flag.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's really too bad that the term "embryonic" ever stuck in terms of stem cell research. We'd all probably all be a lot better off and farther along right now if we'd just called them "blastocystic" stem cells from the start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.