What are some of the con's of stem cell research?

Question

The reason I ask is because I have a speech to do in class and my partner and I both want to argue for it but I lost so now I have to go against my own beliefs and try to persuade others to be against stem cell research. Anything will help at this point. Thanks.

Answer 1

Opposition to stem cell research is almost entirely ethical/moral. There are two major concerns, both of which turn on the sanctity of life and the slippery slope argument.

The first is that if any gains are realized from this research, that scientists will begin to farm human beings a la "The Matrix". The basic fear is that even though scientists currently intend only to use cells from embryos that were going to be destroyed anyway, they will begin to create babies for the sole purpose of harvesting their stem cells. In essence, it's a more sinister form of abortion.

Secondly, many of those people who oppose cloning are against stem cell research because the methodology of conducting stem cell research is that of small-scale cloning. More specifically, legislation legalizing stem cell research may be written such that full-on cloning would also be legal, although this is a somewhat tenuous argument.

If you want to know any more, I would suggest you look at most any Right-to-Life website. They will likely have talking points to better explain these and other arguments.

Best of luck with your speech. Arguing against your own beliefs can often refine your own debate skills and understanding of your real position.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, you'll have to take a position in line with fundamentalists.

I have to state that I do not support the argument I'm going to lay out here:

With that said, you could argue that life begins at conception. The embryos that are used for stem cell research [in states that privately fund it] are often left over from in-vitro fertilization--but this doesn't make them non-persons. In theory, those frozen embryos are human life, and have parents [the egg and sperm donors] --at least one of which is probably carrying those embryos' sibling[s] to term. Isn't this couple really "donating" potential children to be sacrificed in the name of science?

That's all I can come up with. Unfortunately, I think that finding cures for diseases like Parkinson's, and new treatments for spinal cord injuries far outweighs any philosophical concern about a few frozen cells. While opponents of embryonic stem cell research claim that "adult" stem cells that are just as useful
in research, this is patently false. Mouse cells are used as a base to grow the adult cell specimens, and over time those lines have become contaminated with mouse DNA and are nearly useless.

Good luck to you both with your presentations. You might find some more pseudo science, etc, on right wing and/or fundamentalist web sites like Focus on the Family, etc.

Answer 3

There aren't any cons. Stem cellular study can keep 1000's of thousands of lives and that i appreciate observing those freaks protests it. Me thinks that if theyw ere death or a loved one replaced into death and stem cells might want to maintain them, they does not cry for embryos and really celebrate lack of existence for themselves or the loved one. Idiots. that is unhappy what number of people will die b/c we are even dropping time debating no matter if to study stem cells or not. Why do the freaks ought to ruin each and every thing?

Answer 4

I'm for it too. The only arguments I've heard against it have been religious reasons, not medical. I suggest a search online for Bush's reasons, that could be a start. Go to ask.com and literally ask "why is stem cell research bad?"

Answer 5

SCR is ok, if it is privately funded. Embryonic Stem Cell Research is an abomination and is being done a lot by private firms, and most people won't invest in it because it has not been effective, so the abortionist/baby murderers who are invested in our genocide are pushing democrats for government intervention and investment- which most Christians oppose. Adult stem cell research has proven effective in over 70 diseases.

Answer 6

The only Con's I can think of in regard to Stem Cell are...NeoCon's. They clearly don't get science, choosing instead science fiction, and painting nasty pictures of clones. "The sky is falling!, The sky is falling!!".

This science has the potential, combined with the Human Genome Project, to cure all known disease.

And the tissue in question, has been routinely and unceremoniously disposed of (wasted) for years. Wake up America and read about Science.

And for All our Sakes vote INFORMED in 08.

Answer 7

You have a problem. There are no cons to stem cell research,

Answer 8

Sorry, can't think of a one..
I am for it...