The Morality of Cloning: Philosophy in Action Podcast

In the 29 July 2012 episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, I discussed the morality of cloning, and I thought it might be of interest, given that much opposition to cloning is religious at root. The question was:

If cloning humans were possible, would it be wrong? Most people think that cloning humans, if possible, would be terribly immoral and creepy. What are their arguments? Are those arguments right or wrong? Also, would cloning a person without his or her consent be some kind of rights violation?

My Answer, In Brief: Although many people respond to the thought of cloning humans with repugnance, the major arguments against cloning are not persuasive. A cloned child is just a child with an older identical twin, and its parents would have all the usual challenges of good parenting.

Download or Listen to My Full Answer:

• Duration: 21:44


• Download: MP3 Segment

Tags: Children, Cloning, Ethics, Parenting, Personal Identity, Psychology, Rights

Relevant Links:

• The Wisdom of Repugnance by Leon Kass


• Philosophy in Action: Privacy in a High-Tech Society

To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.

A podcast of the full episode – where I answered questions on the morality of cloning, hypocritical allies, standards of beauty, capitalism versus altruism, and more – is available as a podcast here: Episode of 29 July 2012.

Philosophy in Action Radio broadcasts every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening. For information on upcoming shows and more, visit the Episodes on Tap.