Unease and apprehension about science and technology are not new in the history of science but now a new stage marked by a growing uneasiness about powerful science has been reached. Questions about the social responsibility of scientists and the applicability of their technology must be faced directly by both the lay public and the scientific community. Knowledge is dangerous in the hands of specialists who cannot always foresee detrimental implications and/or potential misapplications of their work. Although scientific understanding of a particular biotechnological or medical advancement may not be complete, responsibility to society for an understanding of the ethics surrounding its development falls specifically on those concerned with bioscience ethics and bioethics.

Probably the most publicized controversies to date have been in the area of recombinant DNA technology and its influence on biomedical and military research. Few recent science-based innovations have generated more public disapproval and misunderstanding than cloning technology. Public debate has focused on nightmare scenarios, such as large numbers of identical individuals being created for military purposes, or in the likeness of a mad dictator. In a climate of hysteria, the legitimate biological concerns and the therapeutic benefits of cloning are bound to be overlooked. However, the concerns about humans being used as subjects for cloning experiments are not totally fanciful.