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J Med Ethics 1999;25:98-104 doi:10.1136/jme.25.2.98
  • Research Article

Persons and their copies.

  1. D McCarthy
  1. University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Australia.

      Abstract

      Is cloning human beings morally wrong? The basis for the one serious objection to cloning is that, because of what a clone is, clones would have much worse lives than non-clones. I sketch a fragment of moral theory to make sense of the objection. I then outline several ways in which it might be claimed that, because of what a clone is, clones would have much worse lives than non-clones. In particular, I look at various ideas connected with autonomy. I conclude that there is no basis to the claim that, because of what a clone is, clones would have much worse lives than non-clones. I therefore reject the claim that cloning human beings is morally wrong.

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