Stem Cells, Human Embryos and Ethics

Preface by Mahendra Rao Introduction by Lars Østnor Biological and Medical Perspectives 1. The Moral Status of Human Embryos with Special Regard to Stem Cell Research and Therapy: Biological and Medical Perspectives 2. Steinar Funderud: Stem Cells: Sources and Clinical Applications 3. Ole Johan Borge: Alternative Means to Obtain Pluripotent Stem Cells 4. Håvard Ølstørn, Morten C. Moe, Mercy Varghese, Iver A. Langmoen: Neurogenesis and Potential Use of Stem Cells from Adult Human Brain 5. Joel C. Glover: Can We Use Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Treat Brain and Spinal Cord Injury and Disease? 6. William B. Hurlbut: Stem Cells, Embryos and Ethics: Is There a Way Forward? Social and political perspectives 7. LeRoy Walters: An Intercultural Perspective on Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research 8. Egbert Schroten: Human Embryo Research: The European Perspective 9. Theo A. Boer: Stem Cells, Pluralism, and Moral Empathy Philosophical perspectives 10. Dagfinn Føllesdal: The Potentiality Argument and Stem Cell Research 11. Øyvind Baune: Can the Distinction Between the Moral and the Descriptive Support a Full Moral Standing of an Embryo? 12. Anthony Kenny: The Beginning of Individual Human Life 13. Ludger Honnefelder: Embryonic Stem Cell Research – Arguments of the Ethical Debate in Germany 14. Otfried Höffe: The Question of Human Cloning in the Context of the Stem Cell Debate Theological perspectives 15. Lars Østnor: Stem Cells from Human Embryos for Research? The Theological Discussion within Christianity 16. Gunnar Heiene: Theological Arguments in the Human Stem Cell Debate: A Critical Evaluation 17. Monika Bobbert: Human Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cells – Ethical Aspects