A Buddhist Approach to Ethical Issues of Cloning

• Main Authors: Syuan-You Chen, 陳炫佑
• Other Authors: Yao-Ming Tsai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/46937515316457308693

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 哲學研究所 === 102 === In this thesis, I will try to investigate the ethical issues regarding cloning in accordance with the doctrine of Buddhism. Cloning means that to produce a duplicate similar to a certain genetically identical individual intentionally, and can be applied to conservation breeding, pet cloning, gene transfer, therapeutic research and assisted reproduction etc. Among these practical applications, “therapeutic cloning” and “reproductive cloning” respectively raise the concern of “destruction of embryos” and “human cloning”, thereby many controversies and issues arise. These controversies and issues are surrounding “destruction of embryos” and “cloning human”, the former focuses on the “moral status” of embryos, and the latter on the evaluation between “procreative right” and “the situation of the clone”. Buddhism that endeavors to observe the world of sentient being and teach how to achieve liberation may solve these issues in a brand-new perspective based on the Sa&;#7747;yukt&;#257;gama-S&;#363;tra and Mah&;#257;-ratna-k&;#363;&;#7789;a-S&;#363;tra which indicate “observing things as they really are” and “life process oriented approach”. In addition, I will argue that “moral status”, “right” and “personhood” would be the inappropriately used concepts to understand the Buddhist perspective to cloning. Cloning can not only be applied to therapeutic and reproductive uses which raise the most concern, but also to many non-human species. For this reason, we should take any animal involved cloning into consideration as well. From this aspect, Buddhism as a philosophy advocating that all sentient beings are equal and the life situation of sentient beings should be taken seriously may provide some indication to these ethical issues.