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Julian Savulescu's Argument Against The Use Of Genetic Technologies

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In this essay, I will be discussing whether it is morally obligated by parents to use genetically advanced technologies to have a child that is best suited and best expected to have the best life possible. I will be looking at Julian Savulescu view on Procreative Beneficence in support of this idea that the best child should be produced, and in response to Savulescu’s argument I will also be looking at Michael Sandel’s response against the use of genetic technologies. After considering both for and against arguments I will lay forward my response of the idea that… In his paper “Procreative Beneficence: Why we should select the best children”, Savulescu defends the principle of Procreative Beneficence. Procreative Beneficence as explained by …show more content…

The idea of genetic contributions is brought forward as a way of showing how testing can be done to help couples decide which child would be brought into the best life. Savulescu uses the technology of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Pre-implantation Genetic diagnosis (PGD) to explain how couples can pick the best suited child based on disease and non-disease genes. A couple is using IVF to have a child after failure in getting pregnant naturally. It produces two embryos which have had a test performed to see if they carry any common diseases. Embryo A has no abnormalities from the tests performed. Embryo B has no abnormalities on the tests performed except it reveals that it has a chance of developing asthma. Savulescu asks which embryo should be implanted? …show more content…

Savulescu describes best life as “the life with the most well-being,” and that there are three types of well-being that affect the decisions in choosing the best suited child. The first theory of well-being is hedonistic- the idea that what truly matters is the quality of our experiences, that we feel both pain and pleasure. The second theory is the objective list theory- the idea that activities and goals such as developing talents, having children, having a job are good for people to achieve to give life more meaning. The final theory of well-being is the desire-fulfilment – the idea that what matters in life is the degree to which our desires are satisfied. Savulescu suggests that it is some non-disease genes which can affect the likelihood of the child having the best life on the terms of these theories. Imagine there is a gene which contributes significantly to a violent, explosive, uncontrollable temper, and that state causes people significant suffering. Violent outbursts lead a person to come in conflict with the law and fall out of important social relations. In this example, Savulescu states that there is a loss of independence, dignity and important social relations, which do not comply with the theories of the well-being of the person. The person doesn’t have the ability to concentrate or engage and maintain a social relation with

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