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Stem Cells and Public Funding: Moral Controversies and Scientific Issues

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Stem Cells and Public Funding: Moral Controversies and Scientific Issues

Description:
In his August 9th remarks, President Bush declared that federal funding will be provided for research on pre-existing embryonic stem cell lines but not for harvesting new embryonic cell lines or for research on such lines once they are cultured. He proposed “aggressive federal funding” and “a President's council” to oversee the research. He emphasized the complexity of the moral, ethical, and scientific issues at stake in stem cell research, stating that it raised “fundamental questions about the beginnings of life and the ends of science”(Bush 2001). Perhaps Bush arrived at his “compromise” decision because of the difficulty of resolving a cacophony of conflicting views on stem cell research; in any case, those on either side of the debate are displeased with the decision, seeming to agree only that compromise is inadequate to resolve the issue. Both Richard Doerflinger (National Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesperson), an adamant opposer of embryonic stem cell research, and pro-stem cell research Tony Mazzaschi (Association of American Medical Colleges) agree that Bush’s decision “does not resolve the ethical problem, and it doesn’t resolve the scientific problem” (Doerflinger in Vogel 2001). While the press plays “spin the Pope” - oversimplifying and manipulating complex messages like John Paul II’s warning to value life (Saletan 2001) - and exaggerates the promise of unverified research, we are left to wonder why no viable compromise seems possible and what Mazzaschi means by “ethical paradigms that can’t be bridged” (Vogel 2001).
Education Levels:
9, 10, 11, 12, Adult/Continuing education, Community College, Higher education
Subject:
Biological And Life Sciences, Biology, Embryology, General Science, Technology, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Technology
Resource Type:
Literature
Medium:
Text/HTML
Fee Status:
Free
Online provider:
Journal of Young Investigators

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