Cloning and Culture: Legislation at Home and Abroad

David A. Prentice

The human cloning debate often elicits a picture of two polar arguments: one rooted in science, the other in religion. This picture is misleading. Although both science and religion are key factors in the debate, the full range of cultural perspectives across countries also drives legislative decisions on human cloning. This survey of worldwide cloning legislation will provide a framework for understanding the diverse perspectives on cloning and the cultural contexts that generate those perspectives. Understanding these variables is key to cooperation in crafting international standards.

The variety of existing perspectives makes the debate over international standards important. Without an international consensus, human cloning practices will lapse into a laissez-faire context. Each country will determine its own rules, and nothing will prevent governments with few ethical barriers from engaging in human cloning practices that the international community considers detrimental. Without consensus-driven policies, international standards will, by default, slip to the lowest common denominator. Perhaps the lowest denominator would ultimately be the right choice, but it would be unwise to let these standards be set by default. Whatever consensus may emerge, it should be determined by informed debate and exchange, not a race to the bottom.

David A. Prentice is Professor of Life Sciences at Indiana State University. He researches stem cells, cloning, and bioethics.