Why parents have no duty to select 'the best' children

Clinical Ethics 2 (3):149-154 (2007)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is available where there is a 'significant risk of a serious genetic condition being present in the embryo', the criteria established by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and Human Genetics Commission (HGC). There are a number of controversies about this practice, notably to what extent people can agree on the term 'serious' and whether 'serious' should only mean 'serious for the possible child' or whether it might also, or sometimes instead, mean 'serious for the prospective parents'. This paper moves into different controversial territory by considering the scope of reproductive autonomy beyond selection against serious genetic conditions. Here I consider the argument that parents might actually be morally required to select children with what are sometimes called 'enhanced' features or traits to select 'the best' as this has been described. Reflection on the realities and costs of an attempt to use in vitro fertilization (IVF) and PGD to select 'the best' possible child rebuts the argument in favour of any such 'maximizing' duty on behalf of prospective parents

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,593

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Libertarianism, Autonomy, And Children.Morris Lipson & Peter Vallentyne - 1991 - Public Affairs Quarterly 5 (4):333-352.
A Duty to Adopt?Daniel Friedrich - 2013 - Journal of Applied Philosophy 30 (1):25-39.
The right of children to be loved.S. Matthew Liao - 2006 - Journal of Political Philosophy 14 (4):420–440.
Choosing Disabilities and Enhancements in Children: A Choice too Far?Timothy F. Murphy - 2009 - Reproductie Biomedicine Online 2009 (18 sup. 1):43-49.
Freedom of religion and children.Hugh LaFollette - 1989 - Public Affairs Quarterly (1):75-87.
Procreative beneficence – cui Bono?Jakob Elster - 2009 - Bioethics 25 (9):482-488.

Analytics

Added to PP
2010-08-24

Downloads
59 (#244,539)

6 months
2 (#668,348)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis: does age of onset matter (anymore)? [REVIEW]Timothy Krahn - 2009 - Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 12 (2):187-202.

Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references