scholarly journals The Ethics of Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis in Practice: An Analysis of the Feasibility and Ethical Considerations of Applying and Regulating Genetic Enhancement

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Helena Bleeker
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diagnosis ◽  
Human Enhancement ◽  
Genetic Enhancement ◽  
Genetic Therapy ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Moral Agents ◽  
Medical Therapies

<span>Pre-Implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has many therapeutic and enhancement ap- plications. 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 mora</span>

scholarly journals Enhancing Autonomy, Authenticity And Selecting The Child With The Best Moral Life

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-454
Author(s):  
Alexandru Gabriel Cioiu
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Human Enhancement ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Moral Life ◽  
Genetic Enhancement ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Moral Agents ◽  
Biomedical Enhancement ◽  
Societal Norms ◽  
Biomedical Technologies

In the human enhancement literature, there is a recurrent fear that biomedical technologies will negatively impact the autonomy and authenticity of moral agents, even when the agents would end up having better capacities and an improved life with the aid of these technologies. I will explore several ways in which biomedical enhancement may improve the autonomy of moral agents and try to show that biomedical methods are, all things considered, beneficial to our autonomy and authenticity. I will argue that there are instances when it’s desirable to limit the autonomy of moral agents and that strict regulations are to be put in place if a great number of people will have easy access to powerful, genetic-altering technologies which can impact the life of future children. I will advocate for using assisted reproductive technologies in order to select the child with the best chance of the best moral life and in doing so I will analyse several procreative principles which have been proposed by different scholars in the genetic enhancement debate and try to determine which one would be best to adhere to. Usually, people place high value on the concept of autonomy and there are many cases in which they end up overestimating autonomy in relation to other moral values. While autonomy is important, it’s also important to know how to limit it when reasonable societal norms require it. Sometimes autonomy is defined in strong connection with the concept of authenticity, in the sense that it’s not sufficient for our choices to be autonomous if they are not also authentic. I will try to defend the idea that authenticity can be enhanced as well with the aid of enhancement technologies which can actually prove beneficial in our quest to improve our own self.

scholarly journals Human enhancement

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mara Almeida ◽  
Rui Diogo
Keyword(s):  
Natural Environment ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Human Enhancement ◽  
Genetic Enhancement ◽  
Human Biology ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Genetic Intervention ◽  
Biomedical Enhancement ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Evolutionary Context

Abstract Genetic engineering opens new possibilities for biomedical enhancement requiring ethical, societal and practical considerations to evaluate its implications for human biology, human evolution and our natural environment. In this Commentary, we consider human enhancement, and in particular, we explore genetic enhancement in an evolutionary context. In summarizing key open questions, we highlight the importance of acknowledging multiple effects (pleiotropy) and complex epigenetic interactions among genotype, phenotype and ecology, and the need to consider the unit of impact not only to the human body but also to human populations and their natural environment (systems biology). We also propose that a practicable distinction between ‘therapy’ and ‘enhancement’ may need to be drawn and effectively implemented in future regulations. Overall, we suggest that it is essential for ethical, philosophical and policy discussions on human enhancement to consider the empirical evidence provided by evolutionary biology, developmental biology and other disciplines. Lay Summary: This Commentary explores genetic enhancement in an evolutionary context. We highlight the multiple effects associated with germline heritable genetic intervention, the need to consider the unit of impact to human populations and their natural environment, and propose that a practicable distinction between ‘therapy’ and ‘enhancement’ is needed.

The Ethics of Human Enhancement

2019 ◽  
pp. 403-424
Author(s):  
Janice H. Laurence ◽  
Joshua A. Carlisle
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Performance Optimization ◽  
Just War ◽  
Applied Ethics ◽  
Just War Theory ◽  
Human Enhancement ◽  
Ethical Framework ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Adjacent Field ◽  
And Performance

This chapter raises some ethical considerations and highlights the debate regarding the burgeoning field of human enhancement (HE) and performance optimization. The topic of human enhancement is complex because it gets to the heart of what we take to be the central concerns of ethics, involving concepts such as human nature, identity, fairness, dignity, virtue, and duties to our offspring and fellow beings. This chapter proposes a framework for discussing the ethics of human enhancement. It serves both as a structure for understanding current issues and debates and as a guide for stakeholders to use in making decisions about the ethics of particular HE interventions. In doing so, the ethical framework described borrows from Just War Theory (JWT), an adjacent field of applied ethics. Just Enhancement Theory (JET) provides key considerations that are necessary to argue that a particular HE intervention or class of interventions is morally permissible. Such a framework could help stakeholders navigate the complexities of the moral terrain as they make important decisions and contributions in this increasingly important area.

scholarly journals Enhancing the collectivist critique: accounts of the human enhancement debate

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tess Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Enhancement ◽  
Ethical Analysis ◽  
Public Health Ethics ◽  
Group Level ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Health Ethics ◽  
Specific Enhancement ◽  
Future Child ◽  
Common Problems

AbstractIndividualist ethical analyses in the enhancement debate have often prioritised or only considered the interests and concerns of parents and the future child. The collectivist critique of the human enhancement debate argues that rather than pure individualism, a focus on collectivist, or group-level ethical considerations is needed for balanced ethical analysis of specific enhancement interventions. Here, I defend this argument for the insufficiency of pure individualism. However, existing collectivist analyses tend to take a negative approach that hinders them from adequately contributing to balanced ethical analysis, and often leads to a prohibitive stance. I argue this is due to two common problems with collectivist analyses: inappropriate acceptance of individualist assumptions, and failure to appropriately weigh individual vs collective ethical considerations. To further develop the collectivist critique in the enhancement debate, I suggest we may look to collectivism in public health ethics, which avoids these problems.

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