Defining the Identity of a Human Clone

Researchers have successfully created therapeutic cloning, but how advanced will technology become before scientists start replicating the DNA of humans to create a whole human clone? The idea of human cloning has been a big controversy since 1996. In 1996, scientists made it possible to clone the first mammal, which was “Dolly” the sheep. When they finally do replicate their first human clone, will this new clone have its own personal identity or the identity of who it was replicated of? Arguments have come about whether this reproductive cloned human will have a unique new identity, or whether it will just be a mere identical “copy.” Before scientists make reproductive human clones, these questions need to be addressed. My research will attempt to define the essential nature of a human clone, by examining whether this “copy” represents an individual human, or a new species. The project will ultimately define what a clone is, but specifically defining what it means to be a human clone. Will the clone have the same identity or will it be unique? I will propose my own idea’s on why I believe a human clone will have its own unique qualities. In order to answer my research question, I plan to discuss what makes one considered a human; physically and mentally. I will use literature such as Science Fiction & Philosophy, by Susan Schneider, and films such as The Island (2005), to gain the knowledge in order to gather the research to better answer these questions