Reproductive TechnologyVaughn Ch. 8

IssuesVaughn, p354, lists issues related to ART: Assisted Reproductive Technology:nature and meaning of the familythe treatment of womenmoral status of embryosvalue of human lifesanctity of natural procreationlegitimacy of reproductive rightsan ad from http://www.sharedjourney.com/ivf.html

IVFIn Vitro Fertilization is the process of getting an embryo implanted by these steps:Ovarian stimulationEgg retrievalInsemination / fertilizationEmbryo cultureEmbryo transfer

In vitro (in glass) as opposed to In Utero (in the uterus) or In Vivo (in life)

General IVF IssuesVaughn says At last count, 2 million infertile couples in the U.S.IVF costs average $12,400 (per cycle)Success rate is just 28%Health risks increase for mothers and children (read p357, column 1)Storage of embryos, ownership questions (read column 2)http://www.advancedfertility.com/cryotank.htm

Harm to Children ArgumentSince there is a non-trivial increase in health risks to children conceived through IVF, Vaughn presents the pro and con arguments using Cynthia Cohens piece Give me children or I shall Die! Harm to Children Argument (p358): IVF isnt as safe as natural conception, therefore its wrong to use itInterest in Existing Argument (same): even if some kids are damaged, even severely, it is better to be alive than notNo Harm in Not Existing Argument (same): the interest in existing argument is confused: there is no harm to possible persons when they fail to be conceived

Additional ArgumentsVaughn considers the argument that IVF leads us to view offspring as manufactured products or commodities acquired in the marketplace for a price.Reply 1: money doesnt mean parents would love kids any lessReply 2: adoption involves prices and payments, so, if market makes IVF wrong, it makes adoption wrong too Does Reply 2 work? What relevant difference is there between IVF and adoption?

Vatican ArgumentThe Vatican argues IVF iscontrary to the unity of marriageto the dignity of spousesto the vocation proper to parentsto the childs right to be conceived and brought into the world in marriage and from marriageHow might IVF be contrary to the unity of marriage? the dignity of spouses? So on???

Feminist ArgumentFeminists have argued that IVF makes it harder to resist the social pressures to procreateSuch pressure amounts to coercion.Therefore, IVF is oppressive to women

Mary Ann Warren argues what in response? p359

Must Show Harm?Vaughns final word on IVF is to agree with John Robertson that reproductive freedom is good because freedom is good, and if you want to restrict it, you must show where the harm is p359-360

SurrogacyPart 2

Surrogacy2 Types:Traditional Surrogate (Surrogate is biological Mother)Gestational Surrogate (Womb for Hire)Gestational surrogates are genetically unrelated (or not directly related were all genetically related after all) to the offspringTraditional Surrogacy is more problematic

Baby Selling?Top of p362 Vaughn claims the critics of surrogacy (which on the previous page he notes is illegal in some states both sorts?) usually complain about commercial surrogacy, less so against altruistic surrogacy, where women volunteer their services.

Baby Selling?The critics charge that the selling of such services undermine the norms of parental love.Reply:She [the surrogate] is not selling an existing close relationship with someone, but selling or forfeiting the right to enjoy a future parent-child relationship.Is there a duty that goes unmentioned here? Whose?

Baby Selling?Reply 2:the practice is not that different from adoption, in which biological parents give away their children (and any hope of a relationship with them)Reply to reply 2:adoption is for placing children in families when their parents cannot or will not discharge their parental responsibilities. It is not a sphere for the existence of a supposed parental right to dispose of ones children for profit.This clip was removed from youTube if you have Netflix, see crucial speech at 38 minutes into episode 16 of Season 3, The Offspring

Baby Selling?Bonnie Steinbock argues that baby selling, which she thinks occurs, could be circumvented by viewing surrogacy as prenatal adoption.Read her reasoning on p362.Does it work?Whats the last word on Surrogacy?Is it okay to intentionally create babies knowing you will be depriving them of one or another of their biological parents?Does allowing visitation with a remote parent help?

CloningPart 3

Pro-Cloning ArgumentsVaughn, p364Cloning does not result in identical individuals anymore than identical twins does, even less so as the birth environment will be hormonally and nutritionally differentCloning would allow infertile adults to be biologically connected to their children, rather than being satisfied with adoption of others childrenCloning would be a way to retrieve a portion of a child who dies in an accident, of disease, etc.Cloning would allow us to grow a body full of spare parts in case injury or disease destroys ours

Anti-Cloning ArgumentsCloning violates a persons right to a unique identityCloning violates a persons right to ignorance or to an open futureCloning is an unnatural process and people prefer natural to unnaturalCloning is dehumanizing because of its technological nature

Reply to Anti-Cloning ArgumentReply to 4:Vaughn quotes Dan Brock:It would be a mistake, however, to conclude that a human being created by human cloning is of less value or is less worthy of respect than one created by sexual reproduction. It is the nature of the being, and not how it is created, that is the source of its value and makes it worthy of respect.Can you think of a reply to this argument? Is it correct?

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