Reproductive Ethics

Catalog description

This course surveys central issues in the ethics of human reproduction. Topics include whether (and when) procreation is permissible; the nature and extent of parental responsibility; the morality of abortion; the ethics of gamete donation; whether we can harm people by bringing them into existence; commercial surrogacy; genetic selection and disability; the impact of our reproductive choices on future generations; genetic engineering and enhancement. The course will introduce students to fundamental moral notions (e.g., harm, interests, rights, autonomy, respect), philosophical conceptions of personal identity, and the standards of bioethical debate.