Are Embryonic Stem Cells a Stepping Stone to Eugenics?
12/16/2006 In Paris, according to Science Dec. 8, One cherished French institution has attacked another in a bruising battle over embryonic stem cell research. The cause of the Jeremiad as Science dubbed it, was a Catholic Archbishop s statement to a French health institute that any research instrumentalizes the embryo or borders on eugenics. The News of the week piece by Martin Enserik called these harsh words but took encouragement at the end that people who strictly follow the Church on moral issues now form a small minority in France. Moral roadblocks against embryonic stem cell (ES) research are falling elsewhere as well. The BBC News reported Dec. 6 that Australia just overturned a ban against human cloning for stem cell research by a vote of 82 to 62, despite the objections of the Prime Minister and Labor Leader who made made impassioned speeches against repealing the ban. Prime Minister John Howard appealed to absolutes in his argument: I think what we re talking about here is
