Human Cloning - Individualistic vs. Communitarian :: Cloning Argumentative Persuasive Argument

Human Cloning - Individualistic vs. Communitarian            In many controversial topics around the world, we canfind differing positions, and opinions. Many of these arguments, can be contractdown to two different views, or constructs individualistic and communitarian(an image of collectivism). An individualistic point of view stresses the rights ofthe individual as a unique being (class review). A communitarian viewpoint ismore concerned with the good for the greatest number, even if an individualmust suffer or sacrifice (class review). These different elements do notnecessarily approximate the people as opposed to, or in favor of the topic here.  Theyjust show where your motivations lie, is your involvement for self fulfillmentor for the good of familiarity? Within the contents of this paper, I will analyzethe elements of  individualism and collectivism that exist in the controversialtopic of cloning.    &n bsp       When Dr. Ian Wilmut, a 52-year-old embryologist at the RoslinInstitute in Edinburgh announced on that he had replaced the genetic material ofsheeps egg with the DNA from an adult sheep, and created a lamb (Dolly), thetopic of cloning created many new questions of its own. none were ascontroversial as Will they apply this to tenders as well? According to Dr.Wilmut, the answer was there is no reason in doctrine why you couldnt doit(clone mans), but he added, All of us would find that offensive.(Wilmutas quoted by NYTimes, Daniel Callahan, 02/26/97).            From an individualistic viewpoint, those in favor of cloning humanbeings, do not see it as morally, or ethically wrong. Many see it as anopportunity to have children, or possibly to re-create a child who is dyingfrom a terminal illness. Using a deterministic argument, many infertile couplesare worried that any government restrictions on human clonin g might hurt theirchances some day for bearing children through new medical technology ( Newsday,Thomas Maier, 03/14/1997). In a salmagundi of expressive individualism, Tom Buckowski,from Studio City, California said, Its my body, my choice, right? But what ifI want my body cloned and warehoused for spare parts? Upon what basis cangovernment root what I can or cannot do with my body?(Los Angeles Times,3/07/1997). In both examples, the predominant voice is that of the firstlanguage of individualism. The first language refers to the  individualisticmode that is the dominant American form of discourse about moral, social, andpolitical matters (Bellah et al, Habits of the Heart, pg.334).            Anita Manning, a writer for USA TODAY revealed anotherindividualistic argument in favor of cloning.  In her article Pressing aright to clone humans, Manning interviews a group of gay activists, who see