The Ethics of Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis in Practice: An Analysis of the Feasibility and Ethical Considerations of Applying and Regulating Genetic Enhancement
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18192/riss-ijhs.v3i2.1343Keywords:
Bioethics, in vitro fertilization, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, genetic enhancement, bioliberalismAbstract
Pre-Implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has many therapeutic and enhancement applications. In a previous work, I presented arguments in favour of all types of PGD, whether for medical therapies or human enhancement. These arguments were based on the absence of moral distinctions between genetic therapy and genetic enhancement. The implication of these arguments is that, if one cannot distinguish between therapy and enhancement on moral grounds, then all PGD applications must be either moral or immoral. Although logically speaking this argument may be true, in practice I believe that it is possible and necessary to draw a line between what is morally permissible and what is not with respect to applications of PGD for genetic enhancement. In order to draw this line, I move away from analyzing the moral substance of PGD as a technology and focus instead on the moral agents that will employ PGD. As humans, I believe we are both morally accountable and morally unreliable as agents for the use of PGD, and this feature forms the basis of the delineation of acceptable PGD practices.References
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Baldwin, T. (2006). Book review: The chosen child. European Molecular Biology Organization Reports 7(7), 673. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14647270500422174
Bleeker, H. (2013). The ethics of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Revue interdisciplinaire des sciences de la santé - Interdisciplinary Journal of Health Sciences, 3(1), 31-45.
Bostrom, N. (2005). A history of transhumanist thought. Journal of Evolution and Technology 14(1), 1-30.
Bostrom, N., & Savulescu, J. (2008). Introduction chapter (1 -22) from Human Enhancement. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Fost, N. C. (2004). Conception for donation. The Journal of the American Medical Association 291(17), 2125-2126. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.291.17.2125
Glover, J. (1984). Questions about some uses of genetic engineering. In Kuhse, H. and Singer, P. (Eds.), Bioethics: An Anthology (pp. 187-198). Malden, MA, USA: Blackwell Publishing.
Nussbaum, M. (2004). Hiding from humanity: Disgust, shame, and the law. New Jersey, USA: Princeton Universi- ty Press.
Purdy, L. M. (1996). Genetics and reproductive risk: Can having children be immoral? In Kuhse, H. and Singer, P. (Eds.), Bioethics: An Anthology (pp. 115-122). Malden, MA, USA: Blackwell Publishing.
Roache, R., & Clark, S. (2009). Bioconservatism, bioliberalism, and the wisdom of reflecting on repugnance. Monash Bioethics Review, 28(1), 1-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF03351306
Savulescu, J. (1999). Sex selection: The case for. In Kuhse, H. and Singer, P. (Eds.), Bioethics: An Anthology (pp. 145- 150). Malden, MA, USA: Blackwell Publishing.
Singer, P. (1974). All animals are equal. In Kuhse, H. and Singer, P. (Eds.), Bioethics: An Anthology (pp. 568-578). Malden, MA, USA: Blackwell Publishing.
Thompson, J. J. (1971). A Defence of abortion. In Kuhse, H. and Singer, P. (Eds.), Bioethics: An Anthology (pp. 40- 51). Malden, MA, USA: Blackwell Publishing.
Tooley, M. (1972). Abortion and infanticide. In Kuhse, H. and Singer, P. (Eds.), Bioethics: An Anthology (pp. 25-40). Malden, MA, USA: Blackwell Publishing.
Vallor, S. (2009). Enhancement technologies and human dignity: On the virtue of transformation [Abstract]. Proceedings of The Society for Philosophy and Technology: Converging Technologies, Changing Societies, p. 40-41. Retrieved from http://www.utwente.nl/ gw/wijsb/archive/ Archive%20activities/spt2009/programme/ proceedings.pdf
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2013-11-01
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