Gattaca Ethical Analysis

Ethics of Gattaca In recent discussions of the film Gattaca by Andrew Niccol, a controversial issue has been whether pre-implantation genetic diagnosis which is diagnosing a persons diseases before they are born using their genetics is ethical. On the one hand, some argue that the use of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is unethical. From this perspective, to discard babies who's lives would be greatly effected and much harder than others due to diseases that could be diagnosed before birth is unethical. Humans should not be able to “play God” or in other words decide another human’s fate no matter what. On the other hand, however, others argue that it is unethical not to use technology such as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis because

The film makers of Gattaca take the first position that I presented of that pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is unethical through showing the story of a man who is born even after the doctors results show the various ailments he will will have but overcomes all of this to still achieve his dreams of going to outer space. Though the film makers have several compelling arguments I believe their view is flawed and agree more with the views presented by Colin Gavaghan which provides reasons like reducing the number of people who have to suffer from handicaps as reasons in support of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis being ethical. Throughout Gattaca the film makers demonstrate several reasons for why pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is unethical and should not be put into practice. For example, the movie’s main protagonist, Vincent

One such objection is that in regards to the notion that preventing more handicapped people from being born is a good thing, this might further alienate and call less attention to the current handicapped population. However, this objection within itself is flawed because it is almost a call for more people to be born disabled solely for the reason of adding to the ranks of the current disabled population. This is indisputably an unethical way of thinking as it seeks to subject more people to suffering for the sole benefit of a small proportion of the population. Furthermore, people who object say that preventing the birth of these handicapped people insults the existence of the current population of handicapped people by disvaluing their lives by saying their parents, if given the choice, would have chosen them to be different. As concerning as this may be to a handicapped person it is difficult to argue that just because their parents hadn't had access to technology and they do that using it is ethically wrong. For these reasons any rebuttal or objections that people have to Gavaghan’s views seem to be flawed and