An Examination of the Morality and Definition of Stem Cell Research

Defining the morality of certain acts has always baffled humans for one main reason. We all think we're right. Because of the many religions that are practiced and recognized in the United States of America, we all have beliefs that are disagreed with by people practicing religions separate from our own. We argue about the morality or sex outside of marriage, divorce, the way women dress, a woman's position in society, abortion, and most recently, the morality of stem cell research.

Many would agree that stem cell research is merely another attempt at medical advancement solely for the benefit of mankind. Others would say that you shouldn't try to advance anything when the price to pay is the life of an innocent. Personally I really didn't know what to think because I didn't know, in great detail, what stem cell research is. I was aware that it has something or other to do with extracting certain cells from the human embryo before it reaches the stage of being recognized as a human being. The cell that is extracted is the subject of research to see if it's the answer to curing a great number of diseases. What could possibly be wrong with anything as simple and seemingly innocent as that?

Well first of all, let's get more information on the subject in question. It would be extremely helpful to know what a stem cell is. When you were formed in the womb, the cells that formed you had to originate from somewhere right? The stem cell is what creates the variety of cells that eventually make you. It's even capable of replicating itself. Before you were formed into that adorable baby, you were an embryo and in that embryo is the stem cell, hence the term "embryonic stem cell". As an adult, you do possess stem cells or "Adult stem cells", but they aren't as versatile as the embryonic stem cells, which is why most scientists prefer to study the embryonic stem cell. It is capable of creating more of a variety of cells which doctors need to cure diseases such as MS, Parkinson's, heart, diabetes, even serious spinal cord injuries.

Now that we're mildly educated on the matter, really what's the problem? Here's the thing, in order to obtain the stem cells from an embryo, scientists must do so within four to five days of its existence thus resulting in its immediate destruction. Still, many would ask what the problem is. Many perceive life as beginning at the very moment of conception. To them, an embryo is a living creature, so killing it, even for the purpose of obtaining stem cells is equal to murder. Extracting stem cells from a human at a stage any other than that of an embryo, including the umbilical cord, the fetus itself, or a full grown human is useless because it's post-natal thus making it an "Adult stem cell".

It's difficult to say whether it's right or wrong to conduct or even to condone embryonic stem cell research when it's more a question of taking a life to study the possibility of saving another. There is a 0% success rate of cures caused by the use of embryonic stem cells. Is it ever okay to take one life to save another? Once again it all boils down to your religious beliefs and what you think defines a life. Otherwise, there would be no questions about the morality of the act of trying to save a human being through research if not for killing one to do so.