Movement on the US stem cell debate

As my readers may know, simplistically speaking the present law in the USA allows only very limited use of embryos for stem cell research. This has the effect of limiting the advances that can be made by scientific research through the use of cell lines created from embryos. The 'standard' argument in favour of these limitations rests on a view that emryos are people and that to destroy them is contrary to the principle of the sanctity of life. There are also other 'anti' arguments, including slippery slope arguments such as that pushed in Friday's Washington Post (12 Jan 07) by Charles Krauthammer.

You don't need religion to tremble at the thought of unrestricted embryo research. You simply have to have a healthy respect for the human capacity for doing evil in pursuit of the good. Once we have taken the position of many stem cell research advocates that embryos are discardable tissue with no more intrinsic value than a hangnail or an appendix, then all barriers are down. What is to prevent us from producing not just tissues and organs but humanlike organisms for preservation as a source of future body parts on demand?

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The slope is very slippery. Which is why, even though I disagreed with where the president drew the line -- I would have permitted the use of fertility-clinic embryos that are discarded and are going to die anyway -- I applauded his insistence that some line must be drawn, that human embryos are not nothing and that societal values, not just the scientific imperative, should determine how they are treated.

Slippery slope arguments (ie. an argument that the thing in question may be ok, but if you allow it you are opening the door to other, bad things) are my least favourite form of ethical argument; they have always felt to me like the argument you make when you don't have anything better. But anyway, read Krauthammer's article if you're interested ... it's well written.

Stalemate or movement?

Since the mid-term elections, Congress has passed legislation allowing greater use of embryos discarded by fertility clinics for the purposes of stem cell research. The legislation will also be passed by the Senate, then appears headed for a Presidential veto... rinse and repeat. Although depending on how the Democrat majority plays out we may have some real movement.

Time will tell.