Cloning Ethics

There is no way cloning could save endangered species. Genetic Engineering, perhaps, but not cloning. Clones are copies, and copies of copies, and copies of copies of copies.

The genetic material would not change too much, but the template's genetic flaws would become more apparent as time progressed. The simple solution to that is to make a bunch of clones and then breed the clones with one another. This is fine until you realize that the incest, the breeding of the second generation and beyond, would cause a more weak and genetically flawed result. The best way we could use cloning would be to combine it with genetic engineering, and carefully monitor all the genetic traits of the animals, always mixing and matching the genetic material, just as with natural selection. This would boost the birth rate of the endangered species and cause it to remain almost as robust as it had been before we humans got in and started messing with its genetic material.

Yes this is entirely correct

However both cloning and genetic engineering would be a matter of attempting to patch a hole with too little thread

Already extinct species will not be restored to full vitality through such methodology

These are overly simplistic solutions I fear

========== In Reply To ========== There is no way cloning could save endangered species. Genetic Engineering, perhaps, but not cloning. Clones are copies, and copies of copies, and copies of copies of copies.

The genetic material would not change too much, but the template's genetic flaws would become more apparent as time progressed. The simple solution to that is to make a bunch of clones and then breed the clones with one another. This is fine until you realize that the incest, the breeding of the second generation and beyond, would cause a more weak and genetically flawed result. The best way we could use cloning would be to combine it with genetic engineering, and carefully monitor all the genetic traits of the animals, always mixing and matching the genetic material, just as with natural selection. This would boost the birth rate of the endangered species and cause it to remain almost as robust as it had been before we humans got in and started messing with its genetic material.