The Island & The 6th Day: : Cloning

Reproductive cloning uses somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) to create animals that are genetically identical. This process entails the transfer of a nucleus from a donor adult cell (somatic cell) to an egg which has no nucleus. If the egg begins to divide normally it is transferred into the uterus of the surrogate mother. (Wikipedia)


A. Discuss these questions with a partner:

1) What's your opinion about animal cloning following the process above?


2) Would you think it is okay for people to ask for a clone pet when theirs die, for example?


3) Pets live for a shorter period than people. Children suffer a great deal when their dogs, for example, die. Would a clone pet, exactly alike, diminish children's suffering? What's your opinion about it?


4) Would you like to clone your pet? Why (not)?



B. Read the types of human cloning below and answer the following questions:


There are two commonly discussed types of human cloning: therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning. Therapeutic cloning involves cloning cells from an adult for use in medicine and is an active area of research: while reproductive cloning would involve making cloned human beings. Such reproductive cloning has not been performed and is illegal in many countries. A third type of cloning called replacement cloning is a theoretical possibility, and would be a combination of therapeutic and reproductive cloning. Replacement cloning would entail the replacement of an extensively damaged, failed, or failing body through cloning followed by whole or partial organ transplants. (Wikipedia)


C. Work in small groups. What's the group's opinion about:


Therapeutic Cloning

Reproductive Cloning

Replacement Cloning


D. Watch the segment from the movie "The Island".





E. Discuss these items:

1. Describe the scene?

2. Do you think this is a possible scenario in the future? Why (not)?

G. Look at some of these ethical questions about human cloning that I found on the great sitehttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/ethical-issues-of-cloning.html http://www.buzzle.com/

Now that you have watched the segment, what's your group's opinion about them?

Ethical Questions

1. Is cloning humans "playing God?"

2. Does an embryo, at whatever stage of its existence, have the same rights as human beings?

3. Do we have the right to have children, regardless of how they are created?

4. Is it justified to create stem cells by killing a human embryo?

5. Is it ethically right to harvest organs from clones?

6. If a clone is created from an existing person, who is the parent?

7. Will cloned children face any social repercussions? If so, what?

8. Can cloned children be manipulated to become monsters, like Hitler?

9. Should the research in cloning be regulated? If so, who should regulate it, and how can it be regulated?

H. Now watch the segments from the film The 6th Day and answer the questions:

1. Did you change your opinion now that cloning is about a pet? Why (not)/

2. Is it good or bad for a child to have his/her pet cloned? Why?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing it?

4. Would you clone your beloved dog after its death? Why?

5. What are the mother's and father's feeling concerning cloning their dead dog? Explain it.

I. Watch the second segment from the same movie and discuss the questions:

1. What's Repet?

2. What's your opinion about this company?

3. How do you describe its facilities and advertising? How attractive are they?

4. Do you think there will ever be companies like Repet in the future? Why (not)?

5. Do you think there will ever be a ReHuman company in the future, just like Repet? Why (not)?