Topic 12a: ethics case study (height)

Question 1

what are some ethical issues related to genetics?

Answer 1

• Autonomy of children and parents
• Disease/Therapy/Enhancement distinction
• Risks to future generations
• Sacredness of genome
• Distributive justice
• Discrimination via social norms

Question 2

what is eugenics and the different types?

Answer 2

Eugenics is practice or advocacy of improving the human species by selectively mating people with specific desirable hereditary traits.

State sponsored vs liberal eugenics
Positive (prioritize “good” genes) vs negative (discourage “bad” genes) eugenics.

Question 3

what is positive law?

what are the three “branches” of positive law?

Answer 3

A rule, usually made by a government, that is used to order the way in which a society behaves.

three branches:
* formalism (complex process necessary prior to adoption)
* enforcement
* sanction (in case of violation)

Question 4

According to the Human Reproduction Act in Canada, it is criminal to:

Answer 4

• buy gametes
• perform gene-editing on inheritable genes
• identify the sex of an in vitro embryo

Question 5

Distinguish ethical and legal form in the context of genetics?

Discuss the meaning, objective, What is it?, who governs it, expression, binding, and sanction.

Answer 5

• Meaning:
  Law: Systematic body of rules that govern the whole society and the behavior of its individual members
  Ethics: Virtues and principles necessary for the critical reflection exercised by health care professionals
• Objective:
  Law: To maintain social order and peace in the society and provide protection
  Ethics: to help achieving a solution to an ethical problem
• What is it?:
  Law: Set of rules and regulations
  Ethics: Set of guidelines and considerations
• Governed by:
  Law: Government, Courts
  Ethics: Individuals, legal and professional norms
• Expression:
  Law: Concise and published in writing
  Ethics: In the form of a reasoning
• Binding:
  Law: Law is legally binding
  Ethics: Many documents are not legally binding in nature. Some are.
• Sanction:
  Law: Violation of the law may result in punishment like imprisonment or fine or both
  Ethics: Generally, no punishment such as imprisonment or fine for violation of ethics

Question 6

what are the two disability theories?

Answer 6

1. Medical model
2. Social model