Is it permissible to experiment on human embryos? Is it permissible to obtain stem cells from embryos not used for assisted procreation? Can human embryos produced specifically for research purposes be the source of these valuable cells? These and similar questions, attracting the attention of more than just specialists, are discussed in the final section of this book.
The proper treatment of certain beings depends on the moral status accorded to them. Are human embryos creatures with their own well-being to be cared for? Do they have intrinsic value? Is there any point in ascribing moral rights to them? These questions are considered in the penultimate section, which deals with the moral status of the human embryo. The three preceding sections consider even more fundamental questions that cannot be avoided when considering the moral status of human embryos: what constitutes the moral status of a certain kind of entity, what are the criteria of moral status, and what ontic status do human embryos possess?