Keep the 14-Day Rule in Stem Cell Research

Renowned theologian Ted Peters defends the 14-day rule because it places human dignity and reverence for human life at the heart of the debate, providing a counterweight to the materialism and utilitarianism pervasive in scientific research. Furthermore, the author does not find justifiable ISSCR’s arguments for extending the 14-day limit, which reflects a lack of scientists’ engagement with religious arguments that prioritize human dignity and its sacredness. This suggests that scientists consider moral concerns about scientific research unnecessary and inhibitory of scientific advancement. The author further defends the 14-day limit’s biological significance on the grounds that it marks a point after which individuation occurs and twinning becomes impossible. Throughout, the author suggests that theological thinking is both more attuned with widely shared communal values and willing to conform to public reasoning.