Is it morally justified to create disabled designer babies?

Title

Is it morally justified to create disabled designer babies?

Creator

Dev S.I.

Description

This research paper explores the questionwhether it is morally permissible for an auditory impaired parent to create an auditory impaired offspring? It makes an epistemological inquiry into the experiences of persons with auditory impairments to make an informed decision on the question at stake. There is a general attitudinal bias against the disability. On the contrary, arguments have been raised that a parent with auditory impairment may have a moral right and a liberty to have a specially designed deaf baby. It is argued that a deaf parents desire to have a deaf child, stems from their need to relate linguistically and culturally with the child. It is also in the best interest of the child and the parent. Such arguments seem grossly misguided and are often countered with arguments of open future, and the costs of disability. This research paper seeks to inquire into the epistemic challenges in examining the validity and the soundness of these arguments. It engages into the arguments and counter arguments with respect to whether auditory impairment is a disadvantageous condition to find that deafness does involve an element of harm though it is not only and only harm. It argues against the proposition that laws permitting abortion in case of foetal anomaly are eugenic. It uses Kantian theory to delve into the moral permissibility of the use of genetic engineering for the creation of impairment and enhancement. In the light of moral, ethical and jurisprudential considerations it finds that it is morally impermissible to use genetic interventions to create impairments or enhancements, as it strikes at the humanity in the designer babies and uses them as a means for the satisfaction of desires. 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU).

Source

Jindal Global Law Review, Vol-12, No. 2, pp. 311-335.

Date

2021-01-01

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media B.V.

Subject

Auditory impairment; Designer babies; Genetic technologies; Kant and designer babies; Morality of impairments and enhancements

Coverage

Dev S.I., Christ University, Bengaluru, India

Rights

Restricted Access

Relation

ISSN: 9752498

Format

Online

Language

English

Type

Article

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1007/s41020-021-00152-7

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