Could cloning become permissible?

Introduction to new technology usually provokes reflex resistance (orthodoxy). Initial ethical analysis is typically conducted on a priori grounds, which tends to yield all or none responses. However, physicians take into account the pragmatic medical considerations of alternatives and efficacy. There is currently a dichotomous stance toward therapeutic cloning: is the embryo required for embryonic stem cells/somatic cell nuclear transfer a ‘person’ or should it be treated with ‘respect’? Applying pragmatic medical ethics, this dichotomy may largely dissipate with therapeutic success. Similarly, the current proscription against reproductive cloning may not be immutable if advances in the technology yield a process superior to traditional assisted reproductive techniques in treating infertility. Public dialogue is espoused to examine the robustness of ethical stances commonly proferred as reasons to oppose reproductive cloning.