Wishful thinking will not obviate embryo use.

Upon hearing of purported nonembryo sources of human pluripotent stem cells, we need to ask not only whether the proposed sources yield such cells, but whether it is true as claimed that it would be morally better to shift to the purported alternatives. I argue that it would not be morally better. When we consider the morality of each proposal in turn, we find as to several that what defends them also defends the use of surplus embryos and clones in general.

A proposed stem cell research policy.

The aspirations of scientists and patients for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research in the U.S. motivate attention to the nitty-gritty of law and regulation and its confluence with such moral consensus as lies within our reach.

A failed noncomplicity scheme.

Present U.S. policy on funding embryonic stem cell research evidently rests on the supposition that, because the policy's announcement on August 9, 2001 came as a surprise, no one initiating a stem cell line prior thereto could reasonably have been induced to do so by the government.