Moral Equivalence of Embryonic Stem Cell Research and In Vitro Fertilization?

Ronald Bailey | July 10, 2006

Last week, columnist Michael Kinsley argued that people who oppose human embryonic stem cell research should apply their moral logic to current in vitro fertilization practices as well. To wit:

"[I]f embryos are human beings with full human rights, fertility clinics are death camps -- with a side order of cold-blooded eugenics. No one who truly believes in the humanity of embryos could possibly think otherwise."

However, Kinsley points out that most Americans find IVF to be morally laudatory. (Kinsley fails to acknowledge that the Roman Catholic Church is indeed doctrinally consistent in opposing both embryonic stem cell research and in vitro fertilization. However, in a 2001 poll, 50 percent of Catholic laity said IVF was not wrong.)

Kinsley also mentions a point that I've made many times before that Nature, or Nature's God, is remarkably profligate in destroying human embryos.

Whole Kinsley column here.

Hat tip to frequent poster biologist.