In the letter to the editor published in the Herald Sun, Sheldon Cooper contends in a frantic and anxious tone that cloning should not become a widespread practice due to the likely consequences of cloning being dangerous and unethical. Cooper enforces his contention by appealing to fear, personal values, as well as using phrases such as "[Scientists] are like little kids" and "if we let this genie out of the bottle" to decrease the credibility of scientists and those supporting cloning. Whilst Cooper enforces his contention in a relatively hysterical manner, Leonard Hofstadter also contends that cloning should not become a widespread practice, for the scientific "progress" of cloning is essentially not beneficial to society. Unlike Cooper who portrays his contention in a frantic and extreme manner, Hofstadter underlines his opinion in a professional and somewhat neutral tone.
Cooper centers his letter on a series of imaginary scenarios that could occur if cloning were to become a practice. By using imaginary scenarios such as "Imagine cloning your grandmother and she's younger than you" and "What about the dangers of cloning evil leaders like Hitler", Cooper appeals to fear and personal values to coerce readers into supporting his contention. In contrast, Hofstadter attempts to persuade his readers by questioning in a more subtle manner; therefore, Hofstadter appears to be taking a more restrained approach by using phrases such as "Who will benefit from such technology?" and "What limits or controls should be placed on taking the technology further?" in contrast to Cooper' detrimental imaginary scenarios to instill fear in readers.
Prior to skeptical questioning, Hofstadter infers his opinion by carefully acknowledging his opposition. By beginning his piece with "While one can understand the natural enthusiasm many scientist must feel when they are stretching the existing boundaries", Hofstadter acknowledges his opposition which in turn, possibly enhances his credibility, making him seem more knowledge and professional in the eyes of the reader.
