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THE HUMAN EMBRYO: A SCIENTIST'S POINT OF VIEW
Author(s) -
SELLER MARY J.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
bioethics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.494
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1467-8519
pISSN - 0269-9702
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8519.1993.tb00279.x
Subject(s) - embryo , point (geometry) , psychology , engineering ethics , environmental ethics , philosophy , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , engineering , mathematics , geometry
...Thus, my judgement is that a human embryo is not a human person, and so we may do experiments on it which involve killing it. But my judgement is also that a human embryo has the potential to become a human being. The consequence of this attribute is that it imposes limits on the kinds of experiments which may be performed on human embryos. It is this which sets the boundaries. Experiments which may harm the embryo while still allowing it subsequently to realise its potential, and become a person, should not be permitted. It is the potentiality of the human embryo which governs our behaviour towards it. Its potential makes it special, and radically different from any other human tissue. This potential which the early embryo has means that great respect must always be accorded it, and great thought and care must surround any dealings with it....