The moral status of the embryo Flashcards
Why consider the moral status of the embryo?
Unresolved debates over the status of the embryo
View link to other ethically contentious issues
Debates are political as well as personal, national and individual
Area of science and medicine in rapidly expanding so new issues emerging all the time
Utilitarian moral status
Having moral status means that one’s interests must be factored into the utility calculations of other people/ society as a whole
Non-utilitarian moral status
Having moral status that means there are reasons, independent of the consequences, for treating an entity with respect, and acting in its interests
Account one: biological humanity
We have moral status because we are human
Not just human DNA- every individual cells in our body qualifies as human life
Moment of conception
Account two: personhood
Persons have
- sentience
- rationality
- capacity for moral agency
- language
Embryos lack this feature
Account three: interests
To have interests an entity must be sentient
An embryo cannot be sentient- no nervous system thus no awareness or experience
Future like ours
The interest view fails because it cannot explain why killing a person in temporary coma is wrong
Embryo or foetus cannot take an interest in anything, it has an interest in living out its future
Murder is wrong because it deprives the victim of their future- same true according to Marquis for an embryo or foetus
We have an interest that should be respected
Does an embryo have moral status?
Human biology - yes
Personhood - no
Interests - no
Future like ours - questionable
Mitochondrial donation
Three person baby
A response to mitochondrial disease
Perspectives on mitochondrial disease
Future generations- affect children of the babies born as a result of donation
Designer babies
Religious opposition due to destruction of donor embryos
Concern over rushed vote
Cost
