That scientists havecloned a sheep sends academics and the public into a panic at the prospect thathumans might be next. That's an understandable reaction.(46)

___________,so it'snot unreasonable to be concerned that it might threaten human society anddignity.Yet much of the ethical oppo-- sition seems also to grow out of an

unthinking disgust.And that makes it hard for even trained scientists and ethicists to see thematter clearly.While human cloning might not offer great benefits tohumarnty,no

one has yet made apersuasive case that it would do any real harm,either.

(47)_______Thatwould surely be true if a cloned individual were treated as a lesser being,with fewer rights or lower stature.But why suppose that cloned persons wouldn't

share the samerights and dignity as the rest of us?A leading ethicist has suggested thatcloning would violate the "right to genetic identity".(48)________Itmakes perfect

sense to say thatadult persons have a right not to be cloned without their voluntary,informedconsent. But if such consent is given,whose "right"to geneticidentity would be

violated?

So who will likelytake advantage of cloning?Perhaps a grieving couple whose child is dying.(49)________But a cloned child born to such dubious parents stands no greater

or lesser chance ofbeing loved,or rejected,or warped than a child normally conceived.Infertilecouples are also likely to seek out cloning. That such couples have other

options(in vitrofertilization or adoption)is not an argument for denying them the right toclone.Or consider an example raised by Judge Richard Posner:a couple in whichthe

husband has sometragic genetic defect. Currently,if this couple wants a genetically relatedchild,(50)________They can reproduce naturally and risk passing on the diseaseto

the child.They cango to a sperm bank and take a chance on unknown genes.They can try in vitrofertilization and dispose of any afflicted embryo though that might be

objectionable,too.Orthey can get a male relative of the father to donate sperm,if such a relativeexists.This is one case where even people unnerved by cloning might see it as

not the worstoption.

Even if humancloning offers no obvious benefits to humanity,why ban it?In a democraticsociety we don't usually pass laws outlawing something before there is actualor

probable evidence ofharm.Most important,human cloning should be governed by the same laws that nowprotect human rights.A world not safe for cloned humans would be

a world not safe forthe rest of us._______（47）

A.they have four notaltogether pleasant options.

B.This might seempsychologically twisted.

C.Theologianscontend that to clone a human would violate human dignity.

D.Parents mightclone a child to have"spare parts"in case the original child needs anorgan transplant.

E.Cloning is aradical challenge to the most fundamental laws of biology.