Overcoming embryonic exceptionalism? Lessons from analyzing human stem cell research regulation in Israel

This paper discusses the role of religious and Zionist endorsements of scientific and technological progress in preparing the ground for a permissive regulation of human embryonic stem cell research in Israel. I argue that the Israeli case demonstrates that science does not mean anything at an abstract level but it only means something as science for a particular goal, or in a particular context. Moreover, it suggests that taking discussions about the moral status of embryos as starting points for comparative analyses of regulatory approaches towards embryonic stem cell research limits the scope and fruitfulness of the investigation as it "locks" our gaze in a particular direction. I conclude by arguing that considering how certain regulatory responses became necessary, rather than merely possible, in a given societal and political context, can further sharpen our analysis.