Who's Afraid of Human Cloning? (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

With human cloning such a hot topic, there is considerable need for clear explanations of the unresolved and complex science and social and ethical issues. Bioethicist Pence (philosophy, Univ. of Alabama) tackles the subject head on, arguing for human cloning as a reproductive option. Pence's strengths include his take on the much-hyped issue of genetic (over)determinism, useful analogies to in-vitro fertilization, and coherent reasons for preferring regulation over legislative bans. Unfortunately, the flippant and dismissive tone detracts from his arguments and trivializes difficult issues. The focus on babymaking obscures the opportunity to gain insight into basic human physiology and to advance some of the most promising and jeopardized fetal cell research for applications such as cell-based therapies, gene therapy, and organ and tissue transplantation, all now prohibited from federal funding and essentially unregulated in the private sector. Not an essential purchase, but a timely reminder to examine and update library resources on cloning; librarians could perhaps start with Cloning Human Beings (National Bioethics Advisory Board, June 1997 ) and update with journal articles and books.?Mary Chitty, Cambridge Healthtech, Newton, Mass.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Occasionally, a new book evokes a sigh of relief. Pence, a medical ethicist and professor of philosophy, wants to know how a consensus on human cloning can be said to have been reached when only one side of the argument about it has appeared. That one side is the one represented by such ethicists as Kass, Caplan, and Meilaender and the recent report of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission, all of which have thrown up their hands in horror at the mere thought of human cloning. Pence points out that many of the arguments against human cloning were used earlier against in vitro fertilization. The horrified ethicists are, Pence emphasizes, genetic fatalists who cannot entertain new ideas and scientific progress, and science fiction and misunderstandings of what cloning does have helped overwhelm logical discussion. And why, he asks, have women--presumably an interested group--been left out of the argument? The regulation of human asexual reproduction, he proposes, should be similar to the regulation of gene therapy. William Beatty

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Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.; 1 edition (January 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847687821
• ISBN-13: 978-0847687824
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #313,557 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book by Far on Cloning Humans, October 30, 1999

By A Customer

This book saved my life! I am an arts major and had to do a term paper on human cloning. The science was explained very clearly but not in too much detail (as in Gina Kolata's CLONE). I especially liked the sections on myths and mistakes about cloning, including how cloning and twins are bashed in movies and fiction (I'm a twin!). Pence argues that a child originated by cloning is just a delayed twin, which I can buy. All in all, I got ten book out of the library on cloning, but this is the only one I had to buy because I needed to mark it up so much. On Amazon.com, it's a good buy in paperback and well worth the $8-9.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful, December 19, 2000

By	Kimeve (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

i thought this book was amazing. it's not often that you find an argument that's actually in defense of human cloning--and much less that you see anyone who's open-minded and thoughtful enough not to just blindly dismiss a possibly very helpful technology. a very well written book, it brings up important issues to the reader, and definitely should serve as required reading material for anyone who's to deal with the important decisions that will be made about cloning in the next few decades. very highly recommended!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great book on human cloning, April 25, 2000

By A Customer

I'm a huge fan of human cloning, and am convinced of many of Pence's arguments. He goes far enough to add the scientific procedures, helping me for a college cellular biology class. His views are not biased at all, and his ideas/arguments are well backed up by factual information. If you want to learn the facts about cloning read this book. He does not mock religion or government, but this book may not be appropriate for people set in their ways, unwilling to open themselves to the possibilities. It's important to keep religion and science apart; Pence does this wonderfully.