Analyzing Ethical Issues in Film "Clone" using Ethical Matrix

By: Pratiwi Kusuma Kurniawati (B1B017007)

I. INTRODUCTION
Clone comes from the Greek word klōn, which means 'twig'. A clone is a method for
producing one or more organisms in a way that is new and different from "conventional"
reproduction. This is because the new organism formed is not due to fertilization of sperm
cells and ovum cells, but because of a single cell donor from the 'parent', so the organism
is genetically identical to the 'parent' which donates a single cell. The clone phenomenon
is found naturally, for example is a clone is a genetic duplicate like the case of twins from
one egg. The clone phenomenon is found naturally, for example is a clone is a genetic
duplicate like the case of twins from one egg. Cloning can also be produced from
organisms that reproduce asexually, such as bacteria, fungi, several plants and animals.
Cloning types are divided into two, the first is cloning to produce offspring (reproductive
cloning), namely cloning to make copies of animals or humans and second is cloning used
for the treatment of diseases such as replacement of organs or damaged tissue (therapeutic
cloning).

II. DISCUSSION
Cases discussed in the film "Clone" include the issue of cloning regarding organ
transplants for humans originating from cloned animal organs such as the case of
transplanting organs from pigs cloned into the human body. Based on the original, pig
organs in the form of a kidney cannot be grafted into the human body, because in the pig's
organ there is sugar which signals that the organ belongs to the pig and is not suitable if
inserted into the human body. Therefore, cloning in pigs is carried out with the aim of
obtaining suitable organs when inserted into the human body. The cloning process is
carried out by taking the encoding sugar out, then entering new instructions, new genes
from adult animals that they want to be duplicated. Other cases, there are cloning which is
intended as a treatment (therapeutic cloning) of spinal injuries in the case of Cristopher
reeve, treatment of kidney failure in the case of Andrea Gordon, or treatment of diabetes
in the case of Father Russele Saltzman. Then in the case of chicken cloning by Robert
Etches, cloning is done by inducing cells from black feathers into white chicken eggs,
induction is done because black feathers represent good poultry, because it can grow fast.
However, it cannot lay many eggs, while white chickens are used because they represent
laying hens. The success of induction is determined by the hatching chicken, the blacker
the chicken feathers, the more meat produced.
  Cloning also occurs in dogs named Parkway. In this case, a dog named Parkway is
owned by a family who loves him dearly. Parkway dogs have been with the family from
when the child of the family was still a child. At one point, the Parkway dog died and
made the family feel lost. Then it occurred to his father to clone a Parkway dog so that his
presence remained. However, after cloning it turned out that the nature of the cloned dogs
was not the same as the Parkway Dogs that had died, even though they were physically
identical. Then cloning also occurs in the event of preservation of Asian bison gaur
 animals that will be endangered. Cloning is done by taking beef egg cells and replacing
cow genes with gaur genes, then the embryo gaur is implanted in a cow's uterus. After
nine months the gaur embryo is implanted in the cow's womb, the gaur embryo is finally
formed and the cow is ready to give birth. However, when the gaur child is born, 3 days
later the gaur child dies due to a bacterial attack that has nothing to do with cloning. If the
gaur child can live, it means that it shows that the gaur preservation is successful.
However, if the cloning to perpetuate the animal population is successful there will be
debate because of the factors causing the extinction of a species due to habitat
destruction. If cloning for animal conservation is successful, people will easily damage
animal habitats.
Most people in the world think that cloning is an act that violates
norms and ethics, according to them the embryo needed in the cloning
process has the right to life and is not suitable for engineering. On the
other hand, for those who have health problems, cloning is the only
hope for them to get back healthy. In my opinion, cloning is a form of
technological progress in the field of science that is very large and
extraordinary. Cloning can be a path taken in the medical field that can
be reserved for cases that are indeed difficult to handle and difficult to
find a way out. But I do not agree with the use of cloning for
reproductive purposes, because it can cause disruption of the natural
balance and violates the existing norms and ethics. Reproductive
cloning would diminish the sense of uniqueness of an individual. It
would violate deeply and widely held convictions concerning human
individuality and freedom, and could lead to a devaluation of clones in
comparison with non-clones. But keep in mind, this needs to be closely
monitored by governments, ethical institutions, and religious leaders,
so there is no misuse of science.

III. CONCLUSION
The conclusion is arranged by using ethical matrix which is equipped with argument.

Respect For Well being Autonomy Justice

Scientist Knowledge and Research Research Ethics
Development
Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain
Animal Freedom of life in Protection and Life worthiness
nature maintenance
Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain
Patient Safety and health Getting facilities Equality in treatment
Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain
Consumer Food safety Choosing of food Healthy insurance
Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain
Cattleman/ Earnings and Get superior quality Justice in practice
breeder productivity livestock
yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain Yes No Abstain
Arguments :
1. Scientist
a. Wellbeing: Scientist in addition to research also found new innovations in many
ways, one of which is by cloning. With this cloning scientist can discover and
develop new things.
b. Autonomy: Scientist are free to conduct research to create new technology
because humans need new technology for their survival. However, in conducting
research, it must still follow ethics in research.
c. Justice: In researching a matter, a scientist must pay attention to ethics and know
the rules when conducting research. For example in cloning, but in the case of
cloning there is no rule that states that cloning is a violation of ethics or not.
Therefore a lot of debate emerged from the development of this technology.
2. Animal
a. Wellbeing: Cloned animals are usually not left free in nature, but are placed in
conservation for research studies. Therefore cloned animals are deemed unable to
live freely and their growth is of high concern.
b. Autonomy: Cloned animals in their development are highly considered and
maintained because cloned animals are animals that are not derived from
breeding, but are the result of technology in the form of cloning that tends to be
susceptible to disease and disability.
c. Justice: Animal that life from cloned results does not get freedom like other
animals of the same species. However, cloned animals receive special protection
and attention in conservation areas.
3. Patient
a. Wellbeing: Patients who get organ transplants from cloned animals are still in
doubt because the organs obtained are not from the original organs but are the
result of genetic engineering. Therefore patients who get organ transplants from
cloned animals have no certainty whether they are guaranteed or not.
b. Autonomy: Patients who get organ transplants from cloned animals get special
facilities when transplanting because organ transplants originating from cloned
animals are unusual and require more attention.
c. Justice: Patients get the same treatment as other patients in medical and
humanitarian matters.
4. Consumer
a. Wellbeing: Consuming food derived from cloned animals based on research that
has been done safely for the human body. Because the animals chosen for cloning
are animals with healthy genes and no potential for disease.
b. Autonomy: Consumers cannot choose whether the food comes from cloned
animals or not because usually a good seller in a restaurant does not tell
specifically whether the meat they sell is meat from cloned animals or not.
c. Justice: Consumers get health insurance because food that comes from cloned
livestock is safe for the human body.
5. Cattleman/breeder
 a. Wellbeing: Breeder get increased income from cloned animals. Because cloned
animals can produce good quality livestock, the quality of which is meat and eggs
produced more, thus making the productivity of a farm also increases rapidly.
b. Autonomy: Breeder can get good and superior quality livestock because cloned
animals produced are animals with the best varieties.
c. Justice: Breeder get their rights to determine the quality and selling price of their
livestock and get the same permission as other breeder.
The development of science is current very rapidly developing. Cloning is one
example. Technology in the form of cloning has been widely carried out by scientists,
including the case of organ cloning in animals to be transplanted to humans. In addition,
cloning technology can also help produce livestock with superior properties and help
preserve animals from extinction, for example in the case of gaur animals or known as
bison from Asia. However, in the development of this cloning technology raises the pros
and cons. Those who support cloning assume that cloning is a form of technological
progress in the field of science. While those who oppose cloning assume that cloning is
an inhumane act, contrary to God, and something that can damage civilization.