The video is a documentary about a team of researchers that are seeking support to clone humans. Their main argument is that they want to help people who cannot have babies even though they also explicitly say it is their ambition to do it and to be rich at any cost. They do not talk about ethical concerns nor values. They only say it will be hard work, and there are risks to be taken.
The main concern that arises at the very beginning of the video is the possibility of deformed babies. The doctor leading the project, Doctor Zavos, says that he can guarantee a 30% success. Supporters of this project say that the rest have to be exterminated, that means, killed, aborted. Already there is an ethical debate here, even though it is lightly discussed in the video, and not at all by Dr Zavos.
We are talking about human lives and not laboratory experiments: this is one of the arguments presented in the video against this project. Those in favour say that religions that oppose this project are against science. On top of that, out of 1000 volunteers, only 70 passed the necessary requirements for the experiment. That is 7%. And if only 30% out of that 7% has a success rate, is that worth the extermination of lives? It is crazy.
Another aspect that is not discussed in depth is the desperation of people that consider the project. It can be compared with human organ holidays, where people from rich countries go to underdeveloped countries and pay a few hundred dollars for an organ of a desperate person. There are ethical debates about that, and in a similar way, there should be for this project, as it is desperation the primary drive for those persons to approach such a project. If it was a good thing, why would they consider cloning the last resource?
Last but not least, no one mentioned love in the video. No one referred to the gift of life either. People who want a baby in that way talk about themselves, about what they want, and what they need. It can almost be compared to a couple wanting a bigger house, a bigger car, or any other thing that they can desire, and that money can buy. IT is about their desires and not about the baby. It is to fulfil their bratty, selfish wishes rather than about life. That in itself is appalling.
Ultimately the video does not explain the philosophical and theological explanations that are required actually to evaluate the ethical issues behind this project properly. However, all the religious and political leaders shown in the video, including the medical authorities are against it.
Real Stories. “The First Human Clone.” Online Documentary. Youtube. 7 Nov. 2015. Youtube. 21 July 2016.
